Oh, The Humanity!
by Divineffej
Summary: Gohan is born without a tail. In fact, he doesn't seem to possess *any* Saiyan traits. As far as anyone can tell, he is human. But Gohan wants to protect those important to him, to become stronger, to be a hero like his father. Why should he let something like genetics get in his way?
1. Prologue

Oh, The Humanity!

Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

He huffed and puffed, taking long, leaping strides. Thoughts of his son ran through his head. Unlike himself, his son was a normal boy. He didn't have a tail and he wasn't naturally strong. Though, he had done something rather impressive during his fight with Raditz...

 _"I kinda feel bad for Gohan. It's not like having a tail is the_ best _thing in the world, but it is pretty great. I still miss mine sometimes. At least Chichi was happy; she said tails are strange."_

He shook his head, slapping his cheeks, "Focus, Goku! Everyone's counting on you. I have to get there fast or else…"

He increased his speed, hopping along the long, winding path. His eyes narrowed, _"There's no time to waste. Only a year and they'll arrive. No, less than that. How long have I been up here? A week?"_

He ran and ran, but it was just so boring! How was he supposed to concentrate when everything looked the same. He was gonna go nuts! Orange clouds, white path. White path, orange clouds. Over and over and over.

As he was about to jump, one of the spikes on the side of the path nearly tripped him. He waved his arms frantically to regain his balance. He kneeled, sweating up a puddle beneath him. _"I just can't keep up this *hah* concerted effort for so long. If I don't rest, I'll fall off!"_

He fell back onto his butt before sprawling out as much as the path would allow. _"_ _I wouldn't have lost my balance_ _if I still had my tail,"_ he complained. He felt safe lying down because nobody else was on the path... except that guy with the street cleaner, but he'd probably hear it coming a mile away.

"Whew! Man, I'm tired. I could really use something to eat. Buuut I guess I'll have to settle for a nap," he said, talking to the air. He crossed his arms behind his head and lay back; eyes closing slowly, "I'm not wasting time. Once I'm fully rested, I'll be able to make up all the time I lost… and then some," he told himself. His mind drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 _Goku and Chichi were out for a stroll with Gohan. He was so small sitting in his car-shaped stroller_ _and_ _he seemed excited to be outside. Chichi held onto Goku's arm as they walked, speaking to him quietly. Everything seemed to make Gohan happy; a bug landing on his hand, a bird flying by, the chittering of a squirrel, or just the sight of his parents peeking their heads around to make sure he was okay. Or, in Goku's case, to make funny faces._

 _Chichi pointed out a family of birds and Goku became distracted watching them. He unknowingly let go of Gohan, and_ _the_ _stroller rolled away. Neither of them noticed as he gained speed, flying across a ravine. When they became aware, it was too late; he was heading for a tree. They ran after him, but neither was fast enough. He crashed into the tree and…_

Goku shot up, eyes fluttering open. He rubbed at his face as his heart tried to leap out of his chest, _"No, no. That's not what happened. Just a bad dream. Gohan's just fine,"_ he reminded himself. In truth, Goku had noticed Gohan rolling away pretty quickly. He caught up before the ravine and managed to stop him. Gohan was even laughing, having enjoyed the ride.

Goku inhaled deeply, looking at how snake road disappeared into the distance, _"Keep going or try to sleep again?"_ he asked himself. _"Am I just going to have another bad dream? I do need to rest, though…"_

Goku went back to sleep.

 _Goku walked through the forest, the trunk of a large tree_ _held on_ _his shoulder. Patchy bits of sunlight filtered through the leaves, dotting the forest floor. He turned back to check that Gohan was following him properly._

 _"Haha! Whatcha got there, bud?" Goku asked._

 _Gohan grinned, hefting the branch he was carrying over his shoulder, "Firewood!"_

 _"Copyin' your old man, huh?" he asked, smiling broadly. Gohan nodded happily._

 _They made it out from the canopy of trees_ _, warm sunlight shining down on them. Arriving at the house,_ _Goku set his log down_ _with a heavy thud,_ _chopping it into manageable pieces with his hands. Gohan tried to copy with his branch, "OW!" he yelped._

 _Goku took a quick look at his hand, noticing the redness on the side. He smiled at his son reassuringly, "No big deal. We'll put something on it for the pain and in a day or so you'll be right as rain!"_

 _Gohan nodded. The front door burst open and Chichi flew out, coming to a stop before Gohan. She grabbed his arm, "Oh, poor baby! We need to go to the hospital right now!"_

 _"Now, hold on, Chichi. He's just fine; right, Gohan?"_

 _Gohan looked at each of them, blinking away unshed tears_ _. He swallowed,_ _then nodded_ _,_ _"I'm okay, mommy. It doesn't hurt," he said. Chichi looked uncertain, but listened when Goku asked her to get some of the numbing salve he had made the other day._

 _Gohan looked at his father curiously, ignoring the fact that his hand_ did _hurt, "Daddy? How did you do that?"_

 _Goku raised a brow, "Do what?" he asked. Gohan looked at the stack of_ _logs. "Oh, that! It just takes some training, that's all."_

 _"Wow! Can I train, too?"_

 _Goku's grin nearly cracked his face, "Of course you can, Gohan!"_

Goku's eyes opened once more, _"Now_ that's _a good dream!"_ he thought. Not long after Gohan was born, he and Chichi made a deal. If Gohan asked for training by the time he was four, then he could train. However, he had to promise not to coerce him. It had to be something Gohan asked of his own volition. Perhaps you can imagine how happy Goku was that it had actually happened.

 _"I don't see why Chichi was so set on him being a scholar. What do they even_ do _?"_ he wondered. He pushed himself up, "Alright! I'm all rested now so let's get going!" he said with resolve. He took off once more.

* * *

A/N: So there's the prologue. Hope you enjoyed it! I'm not sure how much I want to say about the story right now... It's AU. I'm planning to make some pretty big changes to each arc. I'm not sure how long it'll end up, but it's definitely going until the Buu saga; I'll decide whether to continue into Super... at some point in the future. Oh, also it's GohanXVidel.

What do you think of the cover-art? I took a screenshot from the bojack movie and traced Gohan out, making the lines sharper and colors brighter, etc. The background isn't really an aura (I tried making an aura, but then I realized I would have to completely change the shadows, which would be very difficult for me), it's just something I threw together because it looks better than a solid color.


	2. Chapter 1: Preparing for the Saiyans

Chapter 1: Preparing for the Saiyans

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

A/N: Here's the next chapter. Enjoy :)

* * *

Gohan fell into the little pond with a loud splash. He hurriedly stood, spitting water out of his mouth. "Ow! It went up my nose!" he whined, face scrunched up in pain.

Piccolo descended, landing at the edge of the pond. This area was filled with large plateaus and steep mountains. The pond was at the foot of a plateau. It had a sheer face of grey stone and it shaded Gohan from the sun. Gohan looked angrily at his captor, "What'd you do that for, you meany!"

"I'm more than just mean, kid," Piccolo said menacingly. "Especially to little brats that annoy me."

Gohan glared, uncowed. "You don't scare me! My dad could beat you any day!" he said emphatically.

Piccolo smirked, "Your dad isn't here."

Gohan flinched, lowering his head, "I know that."

Just thinking of it made him sad… and angry. Angry at himself for not _staying_ angry. He had gotten a good blow on Raditz, injured him.

He clenched his fist.

Just a few more seconds and he could have finished the fight. But, when he realized his father was okay, his anger faded. Along with it, the power.

The water he stood in began to boil.

Gohan had felt so weak afterward. He could barely stand. And then his dad made a plan with Piccolo. He restrained Raditz and took Piccolo's attack through his chest, then died.

Angry red energy surrounded him. The water began evaporating violently.

His gaze landed on Piccolo through roiling wisps of steam. It was _him_. _He_ did it. He blinked away tears. "It was _you!_ " he shouted. "You killed my daddy!" He was furious.

Piccolo did not shrink from Gohan's rage. In fact, he seemed pleased. He smirked once again, "Is that what you think?"

"Yes!" Gohan growled, almost ready to kill.

"The way I see it, it was _you_ that killed him."

Gohan was brought up short, "What?! No way! I would never do that! I _saw_ you kill him!"

"I may have given the final blow… but it was _your_ fault."

Gohan shook, his energy deserting him once more. "What?" he quailed uncertainly. He was once again the child that had just lost his father. The child that was far away from his mother.

Piccolo's countenance became cold. "If you had finished Raditz when you had the chance," he swiped a sharp-nailed hand to the side, "Goku would still live."

Gohan blanched, "No. I- I tried! I did everything I could!"

"Really?" he snorted, "One hit then you give up, because what? You were tired? Pathetic."

Gohan clutched at his shirt, "I… I couldn't move. I didn't have any more energy!"

It wasn't his fault! He did his best! How could anyone expect more from him? No one even expected what he _did_ manage. But... wasn't he saying the same thing before? If only he had stayed angry, everything would be alright. But he didn't. He saw his father was okay and gave up. He thought he didn't have to try anymore, so he gave up. His father died, and it was his fault.

He fell to his knees, not caring about his clothes getting wet again. Tears dripped from his cheeks, mixing in with the hot water. He whimpered quietly, biting his lip to prevent a sob.

Piccolo sighed heavily, "Get up, kid. Your father will be back."

Gohan looked up hesitantly, rubbing tears away, "He will?"

"In one year, Goku's little fan club will use the dragonballs to wish him back to life. However, he won't be the only one coming to Earth in a year. Two more Saiyans are on their way here, and they won't stop until they've killed us all." Gohan stared in shock. "These Saiyans will be even more powerful than Raditz. That's why we're going to train."

"Us? Me and you? Why would you want to train me? I'm just a kid," Gohan asked uncertainly.

Piccolo growled, "Don't you remember what you did to Raditz! You have incredible power within you. I'm going to teach you to harness it. Master it. Then, we will defeat the Saiyans; with or without Goku! Do you understand?!"

Gohan stood, posture uncertain, but with fire in his eyes, "Yes, sir!"

* * *

Piccolo decided to give the kid a chance to rest, so training would start tomorrow. He floated to the top of the plateau, planning to meditate until the next morning, leaving Gohan to his own devices.

 _"I've never been anywhere like here before,"_ Gohan thought, marveling at the unique landscape. The ground was covered in soft grass, and the monuments of rock interrupted the horizon frequently. A glance upward showed that grass grew even atop the towering structures, _"Cool!"_

He began to explore, familiarizing himself with his environment. There were trees here and there, dotting the ground between the big rocks. Further investigation revealed fruit. _"Jackpot!"_ he exclaimed, taking off his yellow overshirt and turning it into a makeshift bag to carry them.

He spent a few hours gathering anything edible he recognized from camping trips with his father. He steadfastly ignored the ache he felt when he thought of the man. As the sun began to sink, he looked for a nice cave to sleep in; accidentally knocking out the bear that had inhabited it previously when it surprised him.

Within the cave, a fire provided light and kept him warm as he gorged on the fruits of his labor. With a full stomach, he fell asleep, dreaming of days where imminent destruction wasn't a concern.

* * *

The next morning, Gohan's training began in earnest. Piccolo, to his great surprise, found that the kid had already had some training. _"Only Goku would start training his own child before the age of four."_

Gohan already knew how to throw effective punches and kicks. His power didn't come anywhere near Piccolo's but he wasn't totally useless. Gohan took to the training enthusiastically, getting back up every time he was knocked down. Piccolo even developed a slightly less disdainful view of him.

Gohan leaped at Piccolo, intent on smashing his face in. Piccolo swayed to the side, sending an elbow to his back. Gohan fell to the ground with a grunt of pain, but quickly righted himself. He threw himself at Piccolo again, a flurry of attacks that the green man avoided easily. Piccolo made a point of punishing sloppy attacks with particularly painful counters. Gohan was a quick learner, always adapting his fighting style to be more effective.

When they weren't sparring, Piccolo was teaching him to control ki and how to sense it. Gohan already knew how to use ki, but only in an unrefined way; simple ki blasts and using it to strengthen physical attacks. Piccolo taught him to fight with closed eyes and how to concentrate ki for more powerful attacks.

When Gohan's clothes became tattered, Piccolo created a gi for him, styled after Goku's but with the symbol for 'Demon' on the back. Gohan wore it with pride.

"Alright, kid, spar's over," Piccolo announced.

Gohan groaned in disappointment, "Come on, Mr. Piccolo! I can keep going!" He was covered in bruises and had a black eye. Not all of them were from this sparring session, either. Gohan didn't have time to heal completely between sessions.

Piccolo smirked, "You've got drive, kid, but you won't be useful if you're too tired to train tomorrow."

Gohan frowned, "I guess you're right."

"Of course I am."

Gohan lay back, using a log as a pillow. Piccolo hovered in the air with crossed legs. He watched as Gohan's breathing slowed and his eyes closed. Eventually, Piccolo's eyes closed as well, as he fell into a deep state of meditation.

* * *

"Now, just push your ki beneath you. It should hold you up," Piccolo instructed. Gohan nodded determinedly.

Eyes closed in concentration, he slowly began to lift up. He opened his eyes and smiled brightly at his new mentor, "Look, Mr. Piccolo! I did it!" he shouted. Piccolo grunted in acknowledgment.

"I'll try to go higher!" Gohan decided. He focused on his energy, _"I guess I just need to push down harder? Alright, let's do it!"_

The ground cratered beneath him and he shot uncontrollably into the air. Piccolo shot up after him, "Damn _kid_!"

Gohan's flight twisted and turned erratically, before finally aiming downwards. He careened, screaming and flailing uselessly, towards the ground. Piccolo followed, trying to predict his movements, but it soon became obvious he wouldn't catch up in time.

Gohan smashed into the top of a grassy plateau at an angle, punching right through, then hitting the ground. Luckily, the collision caused him to stop emitting energy. Piccolo landed next to the crater he was buried in, brushing away the rocks and dirt that covered him. As soon as he saw orange, he grabbed it and pulled him out of the pile of rubble.

Piccolo smirked, "At least we know you're sturdy, right kid?"

Gohan chuckled, wiping away dirt, "A lot sturdier than I used to be!"

"What do you mean?"

Piccolo set him down and he brushed off his gi, noting a few tears with a frown, "When dad started training me, I could barely take a punch. I had to do a whole bunch of exercise to get tougher."

 _"Strange,"_ Piccolo thought, _"He has some kind of hidden power, but he had to train to overcome his body's weakness."_ He frowned pensively, _"Something to meditate on."_

"I promise I'll get it right this time, Mr. Piccolo!" Gohan exclaimed, already rising into the air.

Piccolo snorted, "That fall didn't kill you so go ahead and mess up as many times as you want."

* * *

In his free time, those moments when he wasn't training or being drilled on combat tactics, Gohan explored. It was much easier now that he could fly and he was determined to find something good to eat. He was tired of fruits and nuts, and Piccolo wasn't sympathetic to his plight at all! He sometimes thought that Piccolo didn't ever eat, but that was silly.

His flight took him over a change in landscape. The ground was caked sand and covered with cracks; the sun harsh and unforgiving. Mountains like piles of tan rock were dispersed sparsely through the area, some of the few objects that provided any shade.

Gohan dropped to the ground, looking around curiously, "This is new. I wonder if anything lives here?" he wondered aloud, shielding his eyes with a hand. He walked around a while until he stumbled into a shallow hole, landing on his face. "Ow!" he cried.

He stood up with a petulant frown. "That wasn't very fun," he complained. He hopped into the air to get a better look at what he fell into. "Huh! It looks kinda like a paw print! But it's _way_ too big. Maybe it's a coincidence?" He flew on slowly, staying close to the ground. He found another hole, similarly shaped. "Once is coincidence, twice is curious, but what if it's three times?" he said, smiling at the prospect of a mystery. "I wonder what could leave such big prints?"

He found a third. "Yeah!" he shouted, pumping a fist in glee. "Three is certain! I bet if I follow the tracks I'll find it!" He set off at high speed, keeping an eye out for more to guide him. Eventually, he heard heavy thudding. His grin grew wide, "It's close!"

Then he found it, "Oh, wow! It's a dinosaur! I've read about them!" he exclaimed happily. It was big and brown with a three-pronged crest on its head and sharp teeth. Its hind legs were large and well muscled while its arms were tiny and held close to its chest. Its tail was long and swung lazily as it walked. Gohan wiped some drool from his chin. _"It's been awhile since I've had steak!"_ he thought, giggling in anticipation.

Then he frowned. "No, wait. I can't just kill it. It never did anything bad to me." He rubbed his face in frustration. The big lizard noticed him, lunging forward to snap his jaws around the boy. Gohan dodged out of the way at the last second, frowning in annoyance. "Hey, you big jerk! That wasn't very nice!" He punctuated his statement by punching its snout. The lizard stumbled back a few steps, tears welling in its large eyes and whining pathetically.

"You see? It's not very nice, is it?" he chastised, hands on his hips. It was the same pose his mother used when she scolded him. The dinosaur turned and stomped away as quickly as it could, understanding that Gohan wasn't easy prey.

"Wait! Come back! Let's be friends!" he hollered, flying after it. The great lizard ran even faster. Gohan gave up, sighing at the loss of both potential friend and potential steak. His eyes were drawn to its tail. It was quite long. His stomach growled. Surely it didn't need the _whole_ tail, right?

Gohan frowned, "I need something sharp. Maybe Piccolo can help?"

A quick trip to see his green mentor proved that he could, indeed, help. Armed with a shiny new sword, Gohan got his steak. It was delicious. Mr. Lizard was a bit angry, but he'd get over it eventually.

* * *

It wasn't long before Gohan was in love with his new sword. He carried it with him everywhere, safe in its scabbard across his back. It was sharp, sleek, and double-edged. The reddish-brown hilt was wrapped with cord in a zigzag pattern. The guard looked like polished brass and turned up at the ends. He'd spend hours every day swinging it, getting a feel for its balance. He decided to incorporate it into his fighting style.

"No."

"Why not?!"

"It's just a hunk of metal. I could snap it with a flick of my finger."

"I don't have to use it all the time. I could keep it as a trump card."

"If you carry around a sword, your enemies will expect you to use it. You'll never catch them by surprise."

Gohan clenched his fists angrily, "I bet you're just scared I'll use it against you!" he accused.

Piccolo smirked in amusement, "We'll see. If you can scratch me with that thing, then I'll let you use it."

"You're on!"

Gohan's hand closed around the handle of the sword on his back; Piccolo didn't give him time to draw. Piccolo's fist smashed into his face, but Gohan used his ki to throw himself backward, lessening the impact. Landing upside down on his free hand, he managed to draw the sword and flip himself right-side up.

He launched at Piccolo, swiping and slashing, but he kept swaying out of the blade's arc. Gohan feinted a slash at his midsection but swiped the ground instead, throwing up clumps of dirt and grass. With Piccolo's sight impeded, he stabbed forward, hoping to hit something -since he couldn't see either. He felt the tell-tale sensation of metal slicing flesh, but the blade suddenly stopped, resisting his attempts to pull back.

The debris fell, revealing Piccolo grasping the flat of the blade that had carved a gash in the side of his leg. Gohan exulted, having accomplished his goal, but Piccolo didn't let go. With a cruel sneer, he increased the pressure on the blade, making it creak in protest. Gohan paled, then bared his teeth.

White aura burst out as he exerted all his effort to free his sword from its tormentor. Unfortunately, Piccolo was still considerably stronger than him. Gohan grit his teeth and the aura crept up the length of the blade, finally covering it completely. With a savage grin and a quick jerk to the side, Piccolo found himself without three of his fingers. He seemed unconcerned.

Gohan was _very_ concerned… with his sword. He pulled it close, checking for any hairline cracks that might compromise the integrity of the metal. He sighed in relief when he found none. By the time he was done inspecting it, Piccolo had already regenerated the lost fingers.

"Reinforcing the blade with ki. An interesting technique. Spend the rest of the day refining it. We'll spar again tomorrow morning. I won't go _easy_ on you like this time, got it?"

Gohan stared at him in shock. Then he gave a toothy grin, "Got it, Mr. Piccolo!"

Piccolo flew away. Gohan hopped up and flared his energy, then began slicing at the air with vigor.

* * *

Gohan and Piccolo sat around a campfire under a cloudy night sky. It was one of those rare nights where Gohan managed to convince Piccolo _not_ to meditate atop a rocky spire or under a waterfall or in a cave. Piccolo sat in the air, arms and legs crossed and eyes closed. Gohan sat on a rock to his right, munching on an apple. He finished and threw the core into the fire.

"Mr. Piccolo?"

"I'm meditating."

"Well, I know, but I just have a quick question."

Piccolo sighed heavily, cracking an eye open to glare at the boy. "Go ahead and ask, kid. Though, I won't promise an answer."

"Oh! Okay. I've just been wondering…"

"Get to the point!"

"What if we're not strong enough!"

Piccolo's eyes opened, regarding Gohan with astonishment. The corner of his mouth twisted upwards into a wry smile, "Then we die. Along with everyone else."

Gohan paled. "I don't want that to happen," he said, frowning in frustration. He shook his head, then looked up at Piccolo, new determination in his eyes, "I think we should make a plan. A way to defeat them even if they _are_ stronger than us."

"Oh? And what is this plan of yours?"

Gohan blushed, scratching his cheek, "Uh, well, I haven't actually… thought of one. I just think we should have one."

Piccolo shook his head, "We hardly know anything about our enemies. There's not enough information to create a reliable plan of action."

"Couldn't we ambush them? Like a surprise attack! They can't actually sense energy, right? That's why Raditz wore the scouter thing."

Piccolo frowned thoughtfully, "You may have a point." He placed a hand on his chin. "Maybe if we…"

They spent the rest of the night bouncing ideas around. They couldn't make an iron-clad plan, instead coming up with a number of likely scenarios and ways to handle them.

* * *

If Kami was surprised to be contacted by his counterpart he surely didn't show it. A few days after their impromptu planning session, Gohan and Piccolo had determined a course of action that was almost certain to be effective, provided they could maintain an element of surprise. Gohan thought it would be best if the others were aware of the plan and managed to convince Piccolo. He found that Piccolo was becoming progressively more agreeable, despite his surly manner. It didn't even take an hour for Piccolo to admit the merit of his suggestion.

So, they found themselves on the lookout with the company of Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, Kami, and Mr. Popo. Kami stepped forward, gnarled staff clicking against white tiles. He cleared his throat, "What brings you here, my old friend?"

Piccolo snarled. "Certainly not a personal call." He gained control of his disgust. "I've come to… _inform_ you about the plan for defeating the Saiyans."

"Alright! Music to my ears!" Krillin shouted. Piccolo and Tien glared at him. He waved his hands frantically, "Uh, I just… I get worried sometimes. It's a relief to know there's a plan."

Yamcha slapped his back, "Got that right, man!"

Krillin grinned at the support.

Kami coughed loudly, then addressed Piccolo, "I need not say that any plan requiring the sacrifice of an ally's life is unacceptable, correct?"

Piccolo grunted noncommittally, then motioned at Gohan. The boy in question was slightly startled but did as implicitly asked.

"Uh, well… it's actually pretty simple. While you guys distract the Saiyans, I'll hide and charge up a special beam cannon and try to hit both of them with it. I think that if you all work together, you could pin them down so I don't miss."

They stared at him in shock. Krillin stepped forward, concern etched on his face, "Sorry to say, but I don't think they'll let you charge up an attack like that. What is the special beam cannon, anyway? I've never heard of it."

Piccolo smirked, "The attack that pierced right through two of the strongest combatants you've ever seen."

Krillin and Yamcha began to sweat. All three of Tien's eyes narrowed, "So that's the attack you killed Goku with." It wasn't a question. Gohan grimaced, scuffing a boot against the tile floor and avoiding eye contact with anyone.

He stared Piccolo down. "It's your technique; why is Gohan the one using it?"

Piccolo snorted. "Because they won't expect it. Kids are always underestimated. This way, even if they notice him, they'll likely consider him a non-threat. That will give him the opening we need."

Tien's gaze shifted to Gohan, then back to Piccolo, "You honestly intend to teach him the technique that killed his own father?"

Gohan stiffened slightly. Krillin elbowed Tien lightly, coughing the word 'tact' into his hand. Tien didn't seem very concerned.

Piccolo raised a brow, "You have a problem with that?"

"Does _he_?" Tien asked, looking at Gohan once more.

"I- I'm okay with it. If it can help defeat the Saiyans," Gohan said, looking pointedly at the ground.

Yamcha kneeled in front of him, "You don't have to do this if you don't want to. Just leave all this fighting stuff to the adults, alright?"

"Yeah, Yamcha's right!" Krillin agreed.

"No!" Piccolo shouted, glaring at the two. Yamcha jumped backward and fell on his butt, scooting further backward.

"Y'know, you're right Piccolo! Fighting's not so bad! I mean, sometimes it's even fun!"

Krillin stood his ground, despite his trembling legs, "He's just a kid! If he fights, he'll get hurt! How can I ever face Goku -or Chichi- knowing I let that happen!"

Piccolo glared at him. As if saying 'I don't give a damn about that!'. Then he said, "I don't give a damn about that!"

Gohan moved in front of Krillin, effectively shielding him from Piccolo. "There's no reason to argue about this. I'm going to fight, because I know I can make a difference. I'll gladly learn any technique if it will prevent others from suffering." He paused, then bowed politely, "Thank you for being concerned, though. I appreciate it."

Krillin blushed, rubbing his head, "Hey! No problem, buddy!"

There was silence for a moment, then Chiaotzu raised his hand. "I can hold one in place with my telekinesis. Though, probably only for a few seconds," he said. That sparked a brainstorming session on ways to improve the plan while making use of each fighter's' unique abilities.

* * *

A/N: Chapter two is already done, but I want to build up a buffer, so I won't release it until I finish chapter four. That way I'll have time to set each chapter down for at least a few days and then look over it with fresh eyes. Not quite as good as writing the whole thing out beforehand, but I just don't have the patience for that.


	3. Chapter 2: The Pendulum Room

Chapter 2: The Pendulum Room

A/N: I'm gonna forego the disclaimers from now on. Chapter four isn't quite done but I feel like I've had enough time to look this over, so here it is! Next chapter will come towards the end of next week. Maybe Friday? I haven't decided yet.

* * *

As the sun began its habitual fall behind the horizon, Piccolo left the lookout. Gohan was staying for a few days to gain experience fighting other opponents. Becoming too used to fighting one person would be detrimental to his growth as a martial artist, and could even be fatal on the battlefield.

Krillin put his arm around Gohan's shoulder, "Alright, kid! How'd you like to get a little taste of the kind of training _we_ do to prepare for the Saiyans?"

"Yeah! That'd be great!" Gohan exclaimed.

"By the way…" Krillin said, looking at the handle sticking over Gohan's shoulder. "What's up with the sword?"

Gohan grinned. "Mr. Piccolo made it for me! Isn't it cool?" he asked. He stepped away from Krillin and drew the sword, giving it a few swings.

Krillin gulped, watching the sword flash with every swing. "It certainly looks sharp." He coughed uneasily, "You, uh… you aren't going to use that when we spar, right?"

Gohan tilted his head and shrugged, "I guess not. If you don't want me to, I mean."

Krillin put his arms behind his head with a nervous smile, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. "It's not that _I_ don't want you to. It's, Uh… it's just… YAMCHA! Right, Yamcha. He's deathly afraid of swords. I just thought it would be unfair to him, y'know?"

"Oh! Wow, that's really considerate of you, Krillin!"

"Eheh, sure is, isn't it?" He looked up, "Man, it's already dark, huh? Let's go inside." Gohan nodded in agreement.

Krillin led him through halls tinted yellow by glowing sconces. "Tien and Yamcha are in the lower levels sparring and I think Chiaotzu went to bed, so I guess it'll just be you and me." He stopped in front of a door. "Here we are; the Pendulum Room. Come on in."

He opened the door, leading to a dark room. There was a large swinging pendulum hanging from the ceiling and a glowing red circle with strange designs on the floor. Gohan tapped his foot against the outer circle cautiously, "What is this thing?"

Krillin shrugged, "Dunno. Probably something magical." He cleared his throat. "Now. Allow me to explain the purpose of this room." He cleared it again, more thoroughly, "Uh, well. Apparently, you can use this room to travel to the past or the future. Sorta. I mean, you can interact with people from the past, but it won't change the future or anything."

"Incredible," Gohan marveled. "Does that mean we can travel into the future and practice fighting the Saiyans before they even get here?"

Krillin was taken aback, "Uh, I don't actually know. That would be _really_ useful." He placed a hand on his chin pensively. _"Should I ask Kami about that? Surely, he would have done that if it was possible, right?"_

He shook his head. "Let's worry about that later. The room is already set to take us to a place where we can fight two Saiyans. I should warn you that they're very powerful."

Gohan grinned viciously. "Good. I can learn more by fighting a strong opponent."

"Ehehe, yeah… right," Krillin said apprehensively. _"This kid's kind of intense."_ He waved a hand reassuringly. "Oh, but don't worry about losing. Even if you die, you'll just be sent back here."

Gohan grinned broadly, "That's great! If I don't have to be careful, I can become strong even faster!"

"Uh… just stand in the circle and close your eyes," Krillin instructed. They both entered the circle. "Now, clear your mind."

There was a flash of green light and they disappeared.

* * *

When Gohan opened his eyes, he found himself in a red-skied war-torn city. The ruins of towering metal buildings loomed above him and in the distance. Heaps of rubble and metal scrap were ever-present. He stood on a dilapidated metal walkway; to the left was the sheer face of a skyscraper, to the right a field of cracked and barren earth.

"Morbid place, huh?" Krillin remarked solemnly. "Keep on your guard. The Saiyans are around here somewhere." He set off at a light jog. "Come on, kid!"

"Right!" Gohan followed him.

They passed a number of ruined buildings, broken fences, crumbled walls, and the skeletons of Saiyan warriors; their tails seemingly untouched by time. _"Huh, so every Saiyan had a tail? I wonder why I don't?"_ Gohan wondered.

Finally, they arrived at the ruins of a marketplace. Storefronts lined up next to each other with shattered display windows, incinerated wares, and everything that survived caked with dust and grime.

"This is where we usually meet them. Get ready, kid. And don't be afraid to use that sword. You may need it."

Gohan nodded, curling his fingers into fists. They stood back to back, waiting and listening. Stale wind blew and buildings creaked. A quiet pitter-patter came from nearby, sending Gohan's hand to his sword's hilt. They both looked around frantically, searching for an attacker.

"False alarm, I guess," Krillin said, laughing nervously. _"Man, no matter how many times I come here, the atmosphere always freaks me out,"_ he thought.

Gohan took deep breaths to calm himself, _"I'm not scared. I'm not scared. I can't be scared. I have to win, so I'm not scared. Raditz was a Saiyan and I hurt him, so I can hurt these guys, too. No, I'll beat them! It won't be like the fight with Raditz. I won't give up halfway. I won't!"_

Krillin tensed, "They're here!" A green beam of energy burst out of a half-collapsed sky-scraper, descending towards them. "Watch out, kid!" he yelled, pushing Gohan out of the way with a dive. The beam exploded against the ground behind them, sending up a cloud of dust and smoke and clods of dirt.

"Get up. We've gotta fight back!"

"Right!" Gohan said. He stood, a trembling hand grasping the hilt of his sheathed sword. A person dropped to the ground in front of them. He was short, partially bald, and had a vicious scar on his face; the lens of a scouter resting over one eye. He wore the same armor as Raditz, but the parts that ought to be brown were gray-blue instead. A brown tail wrapped around his waist like a belt.

"What do we have here? Two little rats skulking around? Having fun, are we?" the Saiyan said, a malevolent jeer sprawled across his face. He tapped the side of his scouter and the device began to beep. "Let's see. A weakling and… another weakling. Ahhh, boring! I was hoping for a challenge."

Gohan's hands slowly stilled. He drew his sword in a graceful arc. "I'm not weak!" he snarled. He trained his eyes on the evil looking man, "Krillin, you go find the other one. I can take this guy!"

Krillin gaped, "A- Are you sure? This is your first time here. It might be better if we took him on together…"

Gohan shook his head, eyes never leaving his opponent, "You said I'd be fine, even if I died, right?"

"Well, yeah! But, it's still... unpleasant."

"Would you two quit yapping. If you're gonna run, then go. I'll kill your friend and then have fun chasing you down later," the Saiyan said.

Krillin gulped, "Alright, kid. If you're really sure."

"I am."

Krillin took off.

"Hah, finally! Now, let's get down to business, shall we?" the Saiyan said, cracking his knuckles.

Gohan adjusted his sword. It gleamed a dull red, reflecting the sky. He jumped, aiming an overhand slash. The Saiyan dodged to the side, aiming a punch as Gohan landed. Gohan swiped his sword in the attack's path, causing the Saiyan to pull his arm back.

"Oh-ho-ho, dangerous rat, aren't you? I could lose a hand or two. _If_ you can hit me!" He vanished and appeared behind Gohan, kicking him through the broken window of a building. Gohan slammed into the back wall, sending a myriad of cracks through it. A ball of green energy followed him in. Gohan flew up, through the roof. The ball of energy exploded, sending up shrapnel and causing Gohan to shield his face.

He felt a hand grab his hair. The world spun as he was sent to the ground. He pushed himself out of the rubble, reaching for his sword, only to realize it wasn't there. He looked around frantically, before spotting it. Up in the air, the Saiyan tossed it around playfully.

"This is a nice toy! Mind if I try it out?" the Saiyan yelled.

Gohan felt a pit form in his gut. _"I was already struggling_ with _the sword! I have to get it back somehow!"_

The Saiyan descended like a meteor, sword pointed in front of him. Gohan dodged frantically, fear welling up as he realized how much faster his opponent was than himself. The Saiyan plowed into the ground, carving a furrow into it, then stood and brushed himself off. Gohan realized with a jolt that he should have attacked before he got up. _"I have to take advantage of every opportunity. Even if I mess up, I won't die, so there's no reason to hesitate!"_

Gathering up his resolve, he powered up to his maximum, white aura flaring wildly. The Saiyan charged at him, and Gohan followed suit. Gohan focused all his senses on his opponent, looking for the tells that would give away his next attack. After dodging a few swipes by the skin of his teeth, he finally saw an opportunity. _"Downward slash!"_ he thought. He twisted to the side, gathering energy into his hand. The sword swished past him, cutting the air with its speed. _"He's fast but clumsy. He doesn't know how to use a sword!"_ Gohan realized.

He released the energy into the man's face, causing him to grunt in pain and take a step back. Gohan capitalized and struck the wrist of his sword arm, making his grip loosen. A kick to the stomach made the blade fall out of his hand entirely. Gohan picked it up triumphantly, taking a moment to relish in the feeling of its weight, the texture of its grip. That was a mistake.

Burning green energy washed over him, pushing him forward before it exploded. As the light faded Gohan lay on newly upturned dirt, feeling as if he had just had an encounter with the frying pan _and_ the fire. His breath came in short, wet rasps. He lifted his head carefully, trying to grasp his surroundings with bleary eyes, but it was too painful. He set his head back down, feeling the soothing hot soil against his cheek. It almost made the pain bearable.

He was jerked upward, a hand grasping his tattered blue undershirt; what was left of the orange gi top hung from his belt. A rugged, ugly face came into view, adorned by a cruel sneer. "You're not bad, kid." Rancid breath on his face. "If I didn't know any better, I might've thought you were a Saiyan." He dropped Gohan on the ground. The impact seemed to clear Gohan's mind. He searched for his sword once more, hoping he could still turn the battle around and, if not, at least holding it would give him some comfort.

It was there, just a few feet away. He reached for it desperately. Hand and metal nearly met. Then a booted foot crashed down, shattering the blade. Gohan gaped, eyes wide, at the pieces. He scrambled up, despite the pain, picking up the shards of metal, as if he could simply put them back together. His heart thundered in his chest; his hands clenching around the metal pieces, causing beads of blood to drip into little puddles on the ground.

The Saiyan laughed raucously, "Look at the little rat, is your heart broken? Are you angry now? Oh, _please_ tell me you're angry!"

Gohan stood, slowly, raising one leg at a time and letting the metal fall from his hands. He faced the man with shadowed eyes.

"Oh, he is! Absolutely infuriated, aren't ya? Ah, man, this is my favorite part!"

He could feel heat welling up; not the warmth of the blood on his hands, or the prickling pain of his burns, but the familiar heat of anger writhing in his chest. In the fight against Raditz, he had learned that anger meant power. Right now, he _wanted_ power, so he let the anger fill him up.

He bit his lip, clenching bloody fists... and the ground _shook_. One by one, pebbles rose and the air writhed. Brilliant white fire burst from him, sending his hair and tattered clothes aflutter.

The Saiyan's scouter beeped, symbols flashing by as it calculated the new power level. His face went from cruel amusement to astonishment and then fear. "What!? NO! You can't be- how could you have such strength!?"

He turned on his heel, trying to flee.

Gohan shot forward as a white line, driving his fist into his back, shattering the armor like porcelain. There was an audible crack before he went flying, smashing through building after ruined building, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. He burst through one more, then landed in a patchy field of dead grass, bouncing across the ground.

Gohan rose into the air, watching as his victim landed. Teeth grit, he held his hands up, forming spheres of ki in each. With a growl, he tossed them down, then formed new ones and tossed them down too, starting a volley of blasts; faster and faster. They burst against the ground in clusters, like a carpet bomb. Once he was finally satisfied, he lowered his hands, letting the anger fade. His aura evaporated, the power once again fleeing with the absence of rage; body dull with fatigue.

 _"Is he dead?"_ he asked himself, chest heaving. He brought up a hand and grimaced, pulling his fingers from his palm; made sticky with blood. He gazed at it, noticing that the blood had already begun to dry. _"Did I kill him?"_ He felt the pit in his stomach deepen and shut his eyes tight. _"This isn't real. Nothing that happens here matters…"_ His eyes opened and he wound up his courage. _"I should go check. Just to make sure."_

Sharp pain sparked in his back, traveling forward through his chest. Gohan gasped at the piece of metal sticking through his shirt. The edges were even, but the end was jagged. It was his own sword. Rather, what was left of it.

He turned his head laboriously, blood welling in his mouth, finding an unfamiliar face grinning at him. _"The other one? But, I didn't sense him,"_ he thought weakly, _"how did he sneak up on me?"_ His eyes widened momentarily, _"When I was angry. I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings at all."_

The other Saiyan released the sword and Gohan fell to the earth. Then everything went black.

* * *

Gohan jerked up, eyes blinking open. He was back in the pendulum room, on the red circle. He looked down, finding his clothes intact. His hand reached for the buckle on his chest, lifting the scabbard off his back. He drew his sword, sighing in relief at the fully intact blade. His reflection in the blade caught his eye; clean, no burns, no bruises or cuts. No hole in his chest. It was as if nothing had happened.

He looked around, "Krillin?"

The door cracked open. "Over here, Gohan," Krillin said, gesturing towards the hall. Krillin led him to a room just a few doors down. It was well lit; a couch and two chairs sat on a lush carpet with a coffee table in the middle, facing a roaring fireplace. There was another door on the far side, though there was no indication where it led. "Go ahead and have a seat. It's good to unwind after using that room," Krillin said, moving into a portion of the room that was sectioned off into a small kitchen.

Gohan nodded and took a seat. He noticed a steaming cup on the table. "That's for you. I don't know what you like, so I just warmed up some milk," Krillin said, as he came back into the main room.

"That's okay," Gohan said. He blew on it gently, before taking a sip. Warmth spread in his belly and he leaned back into the chair's cushions.

Krillin sat across from him, holding his own cup. "So… how did it go? Did you beat him?"

Gohan pursed his lips, rubbing the smooth cup with his thumb. "I think I did. I didn't get a chance to check."

"Great job! Especially for your first time!" Krillin exclaimed. He coughed into his hand, "I kinda... got caught off guard," he admitted. "That's how I ended up here sooner than you."

Gohan nodded silently.

Krillin gave him a scrutinizing look. "You alright there, kid? Maybe that was a bit much for you."

Gohan shook his head. "No, I'm fine. I was just thinking, is all."

Krillin shrugged, taking a sip of his drink.

 _"Will I ever be strong enough?"_ Gohan wondered. _"I've been training with Piccolo for a few months now, but I'm still struggling against opponents much weaker than the Saiyans that are on their way here."_

He thought on it for a while and finally came to the answer. The only way he could level the field against opponents stronger, smarter, and more experienced than him. Anger. But not the way he used it now. It was too dangerous; a double-edged sword. He became stronger but, at the same time, far more careless. This fight had taught him that pure power wouldn't be enough against a cunning opponent.

 _"But what can I do about it? I can't get angry on command and I can't seem to control myself when I_ am _angry."_ He frowned in contemplation. _"I need help. Maybe Piccolo can teach me how to control anger? It's worth asking."_

His thoughts wandered back to the fight. He grimaced, hands tightening their hold on the cup. _"Speaking of double-edged swords..."_ He sighed. _"I can't believe I got disarmed twice and had my sword broken. Was I wrong? Are swords really not suited to fights at this level?"_

He lowered his head, frowning, then bit his lip, _"No. I just wasn't good enough! If I had been more careful, it could have been a huge advantage. After all, he_ did _seem afraid of getting hit by it. I'll just have to practice more!"_

He drained his cup and stood, marching towards the door. "Hey, kid, where're you going?" Krillin asked.

Gohan looked at him over his shoulder. "I'm going back in! And I'll keep going in until I defeat them both!" he declared.

Krillin hopped up, "Well, count me in!" he exclaimed. He rubbed the back of his head, blushing, "Maybe we could work together this time, though?"

 _"With Krillin watching my back, I can focus entirely on one of them, improving my chances of winning."_ He smiled. "Yeah. Let's do that!"

* * *

It was a dejected Gohan that sat at the edge of the Lookout, feet dangling over miles of empty space. He sighed and rested his head in one hand. Clouds blanketed the world like wispy cotton below, only scant few gaps to show the land or water underneath.

He heard clicking behind him, rhythmic and growing louder. "A wonderful view, isn't it?"

Gohan straightened and half-turned. His eyes found white and blue robes, wrinkled green skin and a wooden staff. "Oh, it's you, Mr. Kami." He turned back, looking over the horizon, "Yeah, I guess it is."

Kami sat beside him, staff clattering as he set it down behind him. "You seem troubled. Perhaps some wisdom from an old man can help?"

Gohan glanced up at him nervously, taking in the hard lines of his face. Hard, but not unkind. His hands rubbed together as his eyes fell into his lap. "How do you… make yourself angry?"

Kami frowned, "I'm afraid I can't see the merit in doing such a thing. Is there a reason you wish to be angry?"

Gohan nodded, "When I get angry, my power skyrockets. I need to use that power when we fight the Saiyans! It's the only way we'll stand a chance!" He took a moment to calm himself. "But, I just can't seem to make myself angry again. I've gone in the pendulum room four times, but I keep losing! I can't even get angry when my sword is broken anymore, because I know it's not real!"

Kami took a deep breath. "I think I see your dilemma. You see this power within yourself as a way to protect those you care about, and it frustrates you that you cannot use it freely."

Gohan nodded.

Kami's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, "I think you should not seek this power overmuch, lest it distract you from the path to true strength." Gohan looked at him quizzically. "True strength," Kami explained helpfully, "Comes from tempering oneself, body and mind. It comes from effort, perseverance, and understanding. This hidden power of yours is fleeting, unreliable. Who can say when it might choose to desert you?"

Gohan's eyes widened as he recalled the way the power always disappeared when his anger left. "But, what if I need it? It could be the difference between life or death!"

Kami furrowed his brow, "I would hazard to say that this power does not appear from thin air, correct?" Gohan thought about it for a while, then nodded hesitantly. It had to come from somewhere, right? "Then, surely, there must be another method of awakening it? Perhaps a way to master it, and make it _truly_ your own?"

Gohan gaped, "I- I don't know. How would I do that?"

Kami placed a hand on his shoulder, "You will likely have to discover that yourself."

"But... what if I can't? What if there's not enough time?"

Kami stood and smiled, "You still have much time left. And remember that you do not fight on your own. You needn't the power to defeat the Saiyans single-handedly." He turned to leave but paused. "Also, you might consider going to see your mother. I'm sure she misses you dearly. It could do her a world of good to see that you are well."

Gohan blanched. _"I'm not sure how well that'd go…"_ Images of being crushed to death by a hug or grounded for eternity flashed by in his head. He gulped, "I guess I could… stop by?"

Kami sighed in relief, "Thank you." He walked back into the building. _"Now, perhaps she'll stop praying to me half of every day and cursing me the other half,"_ he muttered to himself.

* * *

A/N: We get a proper fight scene, yay! Also, some sage advice from Kami (I can't help but feel he's underappreciated in DBZ. He seems like he'd be a font of wisdom).


	4. Chapter 3: Break-in

Chapter 3: Break-in

* * *

Birds chirped and Cicadas buzzed. A shaft of sunlight shone down on the peaceful Son residence.

"I CAN'T STAND IT!"

Everything within a mile was startled into silence.

Chichi chewed on a handkerchief angrily as her father tried his best to calm her. "My husband is dead! My son is gone; taken by some green monster! I have _NO_ idea where he is and, worst of all, he's not _studying_!"

"But Chichi, didn't you make that deal with-"

"I know! But Goku's not here to train him. So, now's the perfect time to have Gohan hit the books AND HE'S NOT EVEN HERE!"

She teared up, dabbing at her eyes with the handkerchief, then fell into her father's arms. "Oh, daddy, I miss him so much!" she cried. Ox pat her back tenderly.

Gohan swallowed, brow furrowed in indecision. He stood at the edge of the woods, shaded from the sun, looking through the window of his home. The trunk of a tree kept him well-hidden. Leaves rustled in the gentle wind, completely unsympathetic to his mental struggle.

 _"What should I do?"_ he asked himself. _"Mom seems so sad. If I went in she'd be really happy… but she might not let me leave. I can't spend all my time studying! I have to be strong! I have to help fight the Saiyans. Everyone needs me."_

His heart wrenched as he watched his mother sob. Chewing guiltily on his thumb, he came to a decision. _"I can't go back yet. I'm sorry, mom. I'm so sorry."_

He retreated deeper into the forest before taking to the air. He didn't feel like returning to the lookout quite yet. Instead, he explored. He met a bunch of interesting animals as he flew over the mountains. Pterodactyls and giant birds raced through the air with him for a while, though they left when they realized they couldn't keep up with him. It was then that he spotted the shapes on the horizon.

"A city? I didn't know there were any over here." He flew high overhead as more buildings came into view. They were arranged in neat rows along the streets. Raised highways crisscrossed the city-scape in curved lines. He could see hundreds of little cars on the roads, like ants marching in a line.

"Everyone looks so small!" he giggled. He descended into an open, green area with lots of people running around. A couple sitting on a bench jumped in surprise as the young boy fell from the sky. The woman shuffled towards him as quickly as her skirt would allow.

"Oh, my word! Are you okay!" she yelped in panic. Gohan tilted his head curiously as she fussed over him, patting and poking at him gently in her search for injuries.

"Are you looking for something, Ma'am?" he asked.

"Does it hurt anywhere? Maybe you should have a seat, dear."

The man stood a bit away, looking around uncertainly. "Maybe I should go get some help?"

The woman nodded, "That's a good idea. I'm not a nurse or anything."

"Um… that's not really necessary!" Gohan interrupted. "Really, I feel fine." He gave his best reassuring smile, though it was a little lacking. He looked around, taking in the trees and grass, before his eyes landed on a playground. A dozen or so kids were running about, swinging and climbing on jungle gyms. Gohan smiled. "I'm just gonna go over there," he announced. Before they knew it he had zipped off.

"That's a fast kid," the man noted, somewhat nonplussed. He looked at his companion. "I guess he's fine, huh?"

She shrugged breathlessly.

Gohan spent some time playing with the other kids. Unfortunately, he faced unexpected… difficulties. Nobody could catch him during tag. Ki sense allowed him to easily find other players in Hide and Seek. He won every race. He shattered a baseball and the bat at the same time. The children eventually decided to exclude him from their games. He left the park with hunched shoulders.

 _"I never realized how strong I already am,"_ he brooded. _"I always thought I was too weak, but compared to normal people…"_

He slapped his cheeks, looking up at the sky. It was much clearer here, barely a cloud in sight. The sun shone down cheerily, and Gohan tried his best to match it with a grin. "It's such a nice day! I'm sure I'll find _something_ fun to do!"

He came to a stop at the street, staring at the feats of construction before him. _"Oh, wow! They look so much bigger from down here! They're all bigger than my house!"_

Buildings were lined up along each street and cars buzzed past him. He took a step into the street but scrambled back when another car came within a few inches of him. He looked back and forth, wondering how he was supposed to cross it. "I know! I'll just jump over!"

A quick leap and some surprised pedestrians later, he continued his exploration. As he walked down the street, he greeted people cheerily and peeked into display windows, curious about what was inside. He saw a bunch of different buildings, some of them short and some really tall. Some made of wood and some brick.

Close to the center of the town, he found a big building that was all alone on its block. It looked fancy and had a wide staircase leading up to the entrance. A plaque on the roof labeled it 'Orange Star City Hall'.

 _"So this is Orange Star City, huh? Never heard of it."_

"Hey, kid! What are you doing here all alone?" a gruff voice said. Gohan searched for its owner, eyes landing on a big man dressed in blue. He had a funny hat and a bushy brown mustache. A heavy looking belt hung around his waist and he had bits of metal on his shirt.

"I'm exploring!" Gohan said, craning his neck up at the man.

"All by yourself? Where are your parents?"

"Ah, um… they're not here…" Gohan mumbled, sad at the reminder of his separation from both parents.

The man knelt and ruffled Gohan's hair. "Do you know where you live, son?"

Gohan nodded.

"Good. Let's see about-" He was interrupted by a noise from a box on his shirt.

 _"Attention all officers. Break-in at the research facility in District 3. Suspects armed and dangerous. All available units please respond,"_ the box rattled in the voice of a woman. The officer sighed and took a quick look around, then nodded to himself.

"Alright, kid, you see that man in the white shirt over near the big building?" Gohan nodded. "He's a security guard friend of mine. Tell him Officer Bale asked him to look after you. Once I'm done with this call, I'll come see about getting you home, alright?"

"Where are you going Mr. Officer?"

Bale chuckled into his hand. _"Mr. officer…"_ he whispered under his breath, shoulders shaking with mirth. He calmed himself, but couldn't control a smile. "I'm gonna go fight some bad guys!" he announced, taking a heroic pose.

Gohan gasped and jumped up and down excitedly. "Can I come? I can fight bad guys, too!"

"Haha! I'm sure you can, kid! But let's just leave this to the adults, okay?"

Gohan frowned. Yamcha had said the same thing, and it kind of irritated him. He nodded reluctantly, and Bale got in his car; driving off with sirens blaring. _"This isn't fair! I can take on a bunch of normal people any day!"_ he complained. He watched the car turn a corner, then looked over at the security guard that Bale had pointed out. He shook his head, _"I'm going anyway!"_

He took to the air, once again startling everyone nearby. Hovering well above the rooftops and ignoring the shouts of alarm from below, he located Bale's cruiser and followed. _"This sure is slow. I wish I knew where we were going! I could be there by now, if I did."_

Eventually, they entered a district with large warehouses. Loud bangs filled the air, audible in the distance. Gohan decided to go straight to the source, rather than wait for Bale to get there. Aura surrounded him as he took off. He arrived at a large square building made of white stone. It had big glass windows in the front. Much of the ground floor held large and complicated machinery in display cases. Shattered glass littered the ground and bullets peppered the air. Police vehicles were arranged in a semi-circle around the front of the building, with a number of officers using them for cover.

A closer look showed people in the building peeking out occasionally from behind stone pillars and opening fire on the police. Gohan's eyes hardened. _"What do they think they're doing!?"_ he thought indignantly. _"Somebody could get hurt!"_ His eyes narrowed. _"I won't let that happen."_

* * *

Officer Bale arrived at the scene, pulling his car up near the blockade. He got out quickly and took cover at the side of his car, drawing his gun and looking for someone to inform him of the situation.

"Hey, Bale, that's not necessary!" another officer called out to him. Bale carefully poked his head above the car's hood. He looked around, noticing the relaxed atmosphere. There were seven people lying on their stomachs just outside the building with their hands cuffed behind their backs. Policemen milled around, keeping watch on the criminals, while others spoke to each other in hushed voices.

"You can come out from around the car! Situations mostly taken care of!" the other officer, Cuff, called out. Bale holstered his gun and approached his coworker. Cuff was rather scrawny with thin cheeks and light brown hair.

"What do you mean 'mostly'?" Bale asked. "Is that not all of them?" He pointed to the prone criminals.

Officer Cuff shrugged, "Apparently, there's one more further down." He grinned, then started gesturing wildly, "But that's not the interesting part! You see those guys? We didn't take them down. It was the strangest thing. All the sudden, there were a bunch of orange flashes and they just started falling down, unconscious. Some o' the guys _swear_ it was a little kid in orange, but I think they're just trying to pull one over on me."

Bale gaped, wide-eyed. _"Orange?"_ he mouthed silently, brow furrowed.

"We sent some guys down to get the last one, so the situation should be wrapped up pretty quick. Can't help but wonder what these guys were after anyway, right? Not like this place has a lot of money stored up. I guess some of the equipment is expensive, but that stuff is heavy as all hell… too heavy to move… flat-bed, maybe..." Cuff rambled on. Bale wasn't paying much attention.

 _"A kid in orange? Didn't I just meet a kid like that?"_

* * *

Gohan peeked around the corner. It was well lit with a green-tiled floor and white walls. Some of the tiles were shattered in a consistent manner, like footsteps, but what could be that heavy? He continued on, descending the stairs to a lower floor. The destruction was more apparent here. Some of the walls were knocked through, revealing destroyed rooms. The trail of destruction led down another two levels before Gohan heard crashing, rummaging, and the sound of a siren peeling at regular intervals.

Following the sound, he happened across a huge metal door lying on the ground. _"Someone tore this off its hinges? Or maybe they used explosives? ...That makes more sense."_ After all, no normal human could do the former, so it must be the latter, right?

He headed towards the doorless doorway and the sounds of rummaging grew louder. Stepping into the room, he took stock of the situation. A red light near the ceiling flashed intermittently, the siren singing in time with it. A number of computers and desks were gathered in a heap against a wall, most of them broken. There was a truck-sized machine on the far side and a giant man fiddled with its controls. He didn't notice Gohan's presence, likely due to his focus and the loud siren making it hard to hear anything else.

As Gohan watched, the man shouted in triumph; a compartment in the machine opening and emitting a glowing blue cylinder.

Gohan frowned, eyes narrowed. "Hey! You put that back, thief!"

The man turned around, revealing his huge gut and three chins. He wore a sleeveless white shirt that didn't completely cover his enormous belly. His arms were covered in tattoos like graffiti; left arm sporting a red band. His dirty blonde hair was cut close and messy. His nose and cheeks were red and he held a bottle in one hand.

"Huh? Wa'ssa li'l brat doin' here?" He brought a hand up to his mouth, then seemed to realize it wasn't the one holding the bottle and brought up the other one, taking a swig. He wiped his mouth on his arm, then noticed the blue cylinder in his hand and placed it in a duffel bag at his feet. From the blue glow the bag emitted, it was likely there were more in there.

He took a moment, looking in the bag, "Yep, all done here." He swung the bag up on his shoulder. "Gotta get this ta the doc."

Gohan frowned at being ignored. "Hey, fatso! You're not leaving until you put that stuff back!"

The man turned bleary eyes on Gohan, then his face got even redder. "Ma name ain't Fatso! It's Paunch! Tha's BIG Paunch to you!" he roared, slapping his belly like a drum. He took three quick steps, shaking the ground with his great weight, then jumped. Gohan quickly dived out of the way and Paunch landed on his butt with a loud boom, sending tremors through the floor.

As the dust cleared, Paunch struggled to get out of the crater he had created. He growled, "When I get outta 'ere I'mma stomp ya flat!"

Gohan scowled, "I'd like to see you try!" He shot forward, aiming a kick at Paunch's head - carefully controlled of course! Gohan didn't want to kill him. Foot collided with face, then stopped dead. Gohan gasped and flipped back. _"That didn't do any damage?! How is that possible?"_

Gohan calmed himself. He had held back on that last kick. He'd just have to try again harder! Gohan jumped into the air and spun, driving his heel full-force into Paunch's jaw. The force was enough to dislodge him from the large butt-shaped crater. Gohan landed, watching his opponent warily.

He tensed as Paunch lumbered to his feet and cracked his neck. Paunch turned and grinned, "Hey, I ackshully felt that one! Lessee if you feel this!" he shouted. He stomped forward, surprisingly quick, and slammed a meaty palm down at Gohan. Gohan hopped out of the way as the hand demolished the tiles on the floor, leaving a distinct print. "Stay still, wouldja!"

Big Paunch started swinging wildly, trying to smash the quick boy. Walls were torn down, machinery destroyed, and tables and chairs were shattered.

Gohan was forced to keep dodging, bouncing around the confined space and occasionally getting in a blow to Paunch's stomach or legs. However, his gut just absorbed blows and the rest of him was hard as steel. _"What do I do? I never expected he'd be so strong! And he can take everything I'm throwing at him!"_ He continued dodging as the fight led out of the room and near the staircase.

Then Gohan remembered Piccolo's lesson on weak points. _"The joints, the eyes, groin, neck, and the solar plexus! If I can attack these, I may be able to win!_ " Filled with new determination, Gohan took advantage of one of the many openings that Paunch showed and darted in with a punishing kick to the knee. Paunch's knee let out a sharp metallic squeal, and the man screamed in pain. He collapsed to the floor, tears streaming and cradling his knee.

"Aaaahahahaaaaa!" he cried. "The paaainnn!" he sobbed loudly. "My knee! Ma poor li'l knee!"

Gohan stared slack-jawed as Paunch cried. _"Oh no. I- I went too far. What should I do?"_ He inched closer, hands held out placatingly. _"I have to take him to the hospital! I'm the only one strong enough to carry him!"_

"Um, Mr. Paunch, sir? I'm really sorry I did that. Let me take you to the hospital," Gohan said, voice soft.

Paunch shook his head frantically, sending tears flying. "No! No no no no! I gotta get ta the doc! Only the doc can fix this!" he shouted.

Gohan tilted his head in confusion, "I know. They have doctors at the hospital. Just let me take you there, so we can get you fixed."

Paunch's moans died away and he nodded. Gohan lowered his arms and approached. However, just before he reached out to pick Paunch up, an over-sized fist shot out and back-handed Gohan; sending him up and through the ceiling. He crashed through three levels before bouncing off a wall and falling to the floor.

Gohan stood slowly, groaning in pain. "That's gonna bruise," he said, rubbing his chest. He looked up to find three people, dressed just like Bale, with guns trained on him.

"Hold fire. Just a kid," a woman with short red hair said.

Gohan smiled, rubbing his head. "Uh, hi there! My name's Gohan." The ground trembled faintly and Gohan remembered the situation. He addressed the woman, "Listen! You three need to get out of here! There's an incredibly powerful man downstairs and I think he's on his way up! You have to get out of the building before he makes it collapse."

The three gaped at him. The man to the right chuckled. "Look, why don't you go with Macey here," He gestured to the red-haired woman. "She'll take you back outside while we take care of this guy, alright?"

Gohan growled under his breath. Why did every adult act like this! He was already one of the strongest fighters on Earth. He was the son of _the_ strongest and he was trained by the second.

"No! It's not okay!" The officers were taken aback. "We all have to leave, now! I know I'm just a kid, but listen to me! Otherwise, you're going to die!"

"Oh, come on, that's no-" The floor shook violently, trails of dust falling from the ceiling. "O- Okay, maybe we _should_ leave." The floor shook again and again as they made their way to the staircase. They had already begun ascending when a bellow of rage shook the air. Paunch had made it into the same hallway and began a hopping charge towards them.

The officers panicked and ran up the stairs. Macey was at the back of the line and just caught Gohan forming a ball of yellow light in his hand before turning around a corner. She was tempted to turn back and make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her but decided against it.

Gohan's eyes narrowed as the ki blast knocked Paunch down. _"So ki blasts are effective? Dang, I should've tried that earlier!"_ He frowned, watching the fat man try to stand again. _"Should I stay here and finish the fight? Or lead him outside? Down here, there's less chance of someone getting hurt… unless the building collapses. Outside, I'll have an advantage, due to flight, but it would put others in the line of fire…"_

"Hey, kid! Are you alright? What's taking you?!" he heard a man's voice echoing down the stairwell.

He grimaced, "If I don't go out, he might come back down to get me. I guess I don't have a choice." He darted up the stairs, catching up to the policemen, and they left the building together.

Gohan's companions collapsed to the ground, winded from their climb. Gohan did his best to explain to the others that they needed to evacuate the area and, combined with the support of the three tired officers, he managed to convince them.

Officer Bale recognized Gohan and made his way towards him as the other officers pulled the blockade back. "You're the kid I met earlier, aren't you?"

"Oh, hey! It's Mr. Officer! It's nice to see you!" Gohan greeted enthusiastically.

"How on earth did you get here? Didn't I ask you to wait with my friend?"

Gohan rubbed his head sheepishly, "Well… you did. But I wanted to help! And it's a good thing I came. That guy down there is way too much for you guys to handle!" he said honestly.

 _"What the hell is this kid talking about?"_ Bale wondered.

"Mr. Officer?"

"Huh? What is it?"

"I need you to do me a favor. When the big guy comes up, I want you to make sure nobody gets near him. I'll fight him by myself." Bale gaped like a fish. Gohan grinned, "Thanks! I really appreciate it!" Slowly, his feet left the ground, little rings of dust forming on the ground beneath him. Then, he took to the air and hovered above the entrance to the Research Facility.

Bale had the sinking feeling that life wasn't going to be so normal from now on.

* * *

A/N: Next chapter will be out next weekend. Probably Sunday.


	5. Chapter 4: The Mysterious Doc

Chapter 4: The Mysterious Doc

A/N: A bit early, but whatever. Next chapter will probably be out in a week or so.

* * *

Bulma poured over intricate blueprints, flipping through them with one hand and shoveling food into her mouth with the other.

"Don't you think you should slow down just a little bit, dear?" her mother, Panchi, asked.

"Now, darling, just leave the girl be," Dr. Brief commented, eyes trained on his newspaper.

Bulma swallowed and looked up, "Sorry, mom. I've just been going over these circuit maps for the scouter. I'm hoping to figure out more about how it works, so I can make my own."

"Oh, that's nice, dear!" Panchi said, with a smile sweet as honey.

Dr. Brief clicked on the TV mounted in the wall; Bulma glanced over at it.

" **We've been receiving strange reports of a flying boy being sighted all over Orange Star City today. Witnesses all seem to agree that he wears an orange jumpsuit and has a toy sword on his back. There've been all kinds of speculation as to how this stunt was pulled off, but so far no one has found any evidence of trickery. Who is this boy, anyway?"**

 **The reporter brought a hand to his ear, "This just in:** _ **Live**_ **footage is being broadcast to the studio of the boy in question. Apparently, he showed up at a criminal break-in. Let's see what's happening."**

 **The feed changed to an outdoor scene of a building front with shattered windows. The picture rocked back and forth for a moment, then settled a bit higher. In the air, an orange blob floated, completely stationary. The camera focused, revealing a small boy with a sword on his back.**

" **Well, I'll be," the news anchor's voice played over the image, "It really looks like he's flying. An incredible stunt if ever I've seen one!"**

Bulma dropped her spoon, "Oh my God! That's Gohan!"

"Goku's little boy? Oh, isn't he just the _cutest_ little thing!" Panchi gushed.

"Already learned to fly, eh? They sure make 'em different nowadays, don't they?" Dr. Brief said, taking a sip of coffee.

"Oh, no! Chichi is gonna _flip_ when she sees this," Bulma groaned.

"Come to think of it, didn't that lab just receive a shipment of those new energy crystals I've heard about?" Dr. Brief wondered aloud. He frowned in thought. "Can't quite remember the name. Hmm…"

"Wait, energy crystals? I haven't heard about that."

"Oh, yes, some colleagues of mine have been going on about it lately. They seem to think it'll bring us into a new golden age. I don't believe it." He flipped a page and snapped his newspaper taut. "Bunch of poppycock, if you ask me."

* * *

"Hey, Bale? What were you and that kid talking about before? You're lookin' all serious and broody now," Cuff pointed out. They had all cleared away from the building at the behest of the kid and Macey's group and were now watching from atop a nearby roof.

Bale sighed and shook his head, "Whatever is coming up, the kid doesn't think we can handle it. He said he wants to fight alone. Dammit, Cuff! He's just a kid! This kind of thing is _our_ job. We're supposed to protect little kids like him, not _rely_ on them!"

Cuff rubbed his chin pensively, "That 'kid' is sittin' in the middle o' thin air. He says he can do it alone; I believe him. Have you talked to Macey? She said she saw him do something pretty strange when they were leaving the building. She thinks he can do it, too."

Bale looked at Gohan as he leaned against the railing surrounding the roof's edge, "It's not about _can_. It's about _should_. And he shouldn't have to!"

Cuff shrugged, "What can we do?"

"I don't know."

* * *

Gohan listened closely as the thudding sound grew louder. _"He'll be here soon."_ He took a deep breath, centering himself. He was still a novice at ki sensing and, while he was able to use it to some effect while sparring with Piccolo, it was much harder in a real battle. There hadn't been any reason to use it until now since the enemy was within sight and rather slow to boot.

 _"I should get some more practice in. After all, that was how I died the first time I fought in the Pendulum room."_ Though, he had been enraged at the time… that counts for something, right?

He closed his eyes and spread out his awareness, feeling for that spark of… _something_ that represented the presence of another life. He found nothing. Well, not nothing. The faint ki of the policemen behind him shone in his mind like dim candles. He frowned, furrowing his brow. _"This is strange… Someone that strong should feel like a bright flame. Why can't I find it? Wait… does he know how to suppress his ki?!"_ Big Paunch was seeming like a more and more formidable opponent.

Gohan opened his eyes, _"I guess I'll just have to rely on my normal senses. Now, I just need to figure out how to take him down without killing him!"_

Unfortunately, he didn't have an answer by the time Paunch made it back to the ground floor. Paunch limp-stomped out of the building, glaring up a storm at Gohan. Apparently, he had gotten used to the pain. Or had the crying routine been a ruse to lure Gohan closer?

His clothes were somewhat tattered from his rampages, but he still had the bag on his shoulder.

"Listen, Big Paunch. I don't want to hurt you anymore! If you just surrender, this can be over! Otherwise, I can't guarantee your safety."

"Over?! OVER?! You think you decide when this is over?!" He seemed much more sober now, the redness in his face was fainter. "It'll be over when I crush all yer bones, ya little pest! Now, why dontcha git down here and fight me like a man? Otherwise, _I_ can _guarantee_ none o' your li'l buddies in blue will be safe!"

 _"That has to be a bluff. No matter how strong he is, he can't hit that far away. As long as I keep him busy, he'll have to stay in this area,"_ Gohan thought. He shook his head deliberately, "If you won't see reason, then I'll just have to defeat you!"

Gohan gathered ki in his hand and launched it at Paunch. Paunch was forced to endure it since his bad leg didn't allow for much mobility. He growled as the blast scorched his crossed arms.

Gohan prepared another blast, planning to continue harrying Paunch until he was too tired or too injured to continue. However, Paunch went red with anger and dug his fingers into the concrete beneath him. With a mighty heave, he pulled up a big chunk of it and lobbed it at Gohan. Gohan dodged, and the slab went flying into a building behind him.

Then he heard the scream. He turned and his eyes widened in horror as he realized what happened. A policeman had been hiding on the first floor of a neighboring warehouse, watching through the window. Now he was half stuck under a couple hundred pounds of concrete, moaning in pain. Another officer was trying, in vain, to remove the block.

Suddenly, something slammed into Gohan's back, throwing him to the ground. Big Paunch laughed, "What'd I tell you? Do as I say, or watch yer friends die; one by one!"

The rock lying atop Gohan shattered violently and Gohan stood; the pieces clattering to the ground. His lips pulled back in a snarl, breath seething through grit teeth. "THAT. IS. IT! I'm ending this _right_ now!" He pulled his arms beside him and screamed. The concrete under his feet cracked as his aura burst out.

Gohan vanished, then reappeared right in front of Paunch. His fist crashed forward, twisting into the big man's gut. Most of the blow was absorbed, but it knocked Paunch off balance and he began to tip backward. Gohan vanished and reappeared behind him, driving a punishing elbow and then a knee into his back. Paunch shouted in pain as he rose a foot off the ground.

Gohan vanished again, and began pummeling him from all directions; finally culminating in a devastating hook to Paunch's temple, followed by a hammerblow to knock him back to the ground. Gohan took a moment to catch his breath, sweating puddles. _"That has to be enough! I've used up most of my energy. Even Piccolo wouldn't be able to take that much punishment!"_ Though, Piccolo was far too skilled to be caught in a rush like that.

A jolt ran through him as he remembered the injured officer. _"I should go help him_ now _, while I have the chance."_ He zipped over to the sobbing man, gently lifting the rock. The officer who had been trying to help stared at Gohan with awe and fear, giving him a good berth. Gohan took a look at the injured man's legs and grimaced. _"I guess it's lucky I've seen worse injuries in the Pendulum room. Now wouldn't be a good time to throw up."_

The other officer jumped when Gohan's gaze pierced him. "Can you take him to the hospital? I'll carry him to your car. Just show me which one it is." They managed to get him loaded up quickly and the car sped off. Gohan looked back and saw Paunch struggling to his feet again.

" _What's this guy made of?! He just doesn't stay down!"_ Gohan thought, incredulously. Nothing in this fight had gone as he expected it to. He thought he could swoop in, save the day, and return to the lookout in just an hour or two. And yet, here he was, in a battle almost as difficult as fighting the Saiyans in the Pendulum Room. _"I underestimated him. Someone got really hurt because of my carelessness."_

He knew what he had to do. The thought twisted in his gut, pulling at his moral fibers; slowly fraying the edges. _"I don't want to do this."_ His hand rose slowly, wrapping around his sword's hilt. A painful lump formed in his throat, making it hard to breathe. _"I tried to reason with him."_ He swallowed heavily. _"I gave him every chance to surrender. But he won't listen. He's putting other people in danger. I can't let this go on!"_ The sword slithered out of its scabbard.

He could almost hear Piccolo's voice, _"Harden your heart. If you want to protect, you must be willing to kill. Face him, don't hesitate."_

Gohan grabbed the sword with both hands and looked up, searching out his adversary's eyes. What he found shocked him. Big Paunch was reared back, a sphere of energy floating outside his mouth and growing larger. He wasn't even facing Gohan.

" _He's aiming at the police!"_ Before he had time to think further, he was moving; placing himself in the path of fire. He put his hands above his forehead in preparation for a _Masenko_ , the most powerful ki blast he knew, but froze. _"If I block his blast with my own they'll both explode together, doing even more damage! It's too late to stop him from firing, what do I do?!'_

His eyes darted around as he desperately sought a solution. They landed on his sword. Piccolo's voice echoed in his head once more, _"Reinforcing the blade with ki. An interesting technique."_

Paunch fired, a horizontal pillar of yellow energy came screaming at Gohan, carving through the concrete ground with ease. Gohan flipped the blade until it pointed at the ground, bracing it against his shoulder for stability. Flaring aura shot down its length, surrounding it. Gohan tensed and the beam slammed into him.

"Gah!" he grunted, feet digging furrows into the street. _"Such a powerful attack! And I still can't sense it; what's going on?!"_

His teeth grit as his muscles strained to hold it back. Sweat dripped off his chin, evaporating against the asphalt; made hot by the energy. Gohan shifted, trying to put more leverage behind his blade. Slowly, he pulled the blade back, changing its angle. Then, with a great heave, he sent the beam up into the air. It soared into the sky, then burst; a spectacle of light and smoke in the sky. Shockwaves knocked over people in the street. Buildings shook and those closest to it had their windows shattered.

Gohan fell to his knees, chest heaving; sweat pouring off his face and arms. _"Wait. I have to get up. This isn't over yet."_ But, when he raised his head, Paunch wasn't there anymore.

* * *

Dancing light and Billowing smoke seared its way into her mind. _"Beautiful."_

The shockwave crashed down, knocking her onto her butt. She propped herself up on her elbows, staring at the remnants of the massive explosion. _"Incredible!"_ Her jaw hung in awe. _"To think people can do such things! I want it! That power! That beauty! I want to do that, too!"_

She pushed herself up, running to the roof's edge to take a look at the two who could do such wondrous things. But, when the smoke cleared, there was only one. _"Where'd the criminal go?"_ she wondered. She shook her head, strands of red hair slapping at her face. _"Doesn't matter, the kid is still there. I have to get down there. I have to talk to him! Before he disappears, too!"_

She turned and ran for the stairwell. "Hey, wait! Macey! Where are you going?" someone called after her. She ignored them. There were more important things to do!

* * *

 **As the remnants of the explosion faded, the camera swiveled to the boy that had just deflected the beam of light. The sword lay on the ground next to him as he caught his breath.**

 **"... Well, folks… I'm not sure what to say. Unfortunately, we don't have an anchor on scene. There should be one on the way, so don't worry! We'll surely get to the bottom of this mystery! Is it real? Is it a hoax? Maybe a promotional stunt for a new movie? Let's ask a guest…"**

Bulma stared at the tv, mouth agape. _"What just happened? Isn't Gohan supposed to be really strong? Why was he struggling with that guy?"_ She sighed. Nothing about this made sense.

"Oh, no. I'll have to be the one to tell Chichi. I forgot she doesn't have a tv… Is this how Krillin felt after Goku died? Augh! If he were here I'd make him do this, too! Though, he didn't even manage it last time."

* * *

Bale made it down the last set of stairs, huffing and puffing. _"Damn, I'm out of shape!"_ He had to make sure the kid was alright! He could do at least that much, dammit! Cuff followed behind him, though slower. Bale noticed Macey was already kneeling next to the kid, shaking his shoulders.

"Please, you have to tell me how! I'm begging you! I have to know!" She sounded like she was about to cry.

 _"What is that girl doing!? Harassing the kid after he saved all our asses!"_ Bale fumed. He stomped up to her, pulling her up by the collar of her shirt. "Let him catch his breath, woman! Anybody would be tired after that!"

"Aww, don't be like that, Bale! I just wanna know, is all! What's wrong with that?"

"I'm curious, too! But, I'm not the one tryin' to shake the life outta him!"

As they argued, a man with a large video camera on his shoulder approached them. He stayed silent, and no one paid him any mind.

Gohan grabbed his sword and stuck it's point in the ground, using it to lift himself. He stood and leaned against it, wiping sweat from his brow. "Um, I don't mind telling you… but I want to make sure Big Paunch isn't still around here somewhere. It could still be dangerous." He slowly rose into the air, sheathing his sword.

"Oh, I wanna know how to do that, too!" Macey shouted, jumping up and down.

Gohan paused, still breathing hard, and looked at Bale. "Right, there was one more thing. A policeman got hurt when I dodged one of Paunch's attacks. I asked someone to take him to the hospital, but his legs were broken pretty badly."

Bale clenched a fist, nails digging into his palm, then nodded. Macey quieted down, biting her lip.

Gohan searched the area and found evidence of Paunch's escape. However, after a certain point, the signs disappeared. Scanning for energy signatures revealed nothing. He returned to the scene of the battle. Bale was speaking to someone over the phone. A scrawny policeman was directing efforts to cordon off the crime scene. The cameraman had moved just outside the cordon. Macey started waving ecstatically when she saw him.

Gohan's cheeks reddened slightly as he waved back, landing near her. She immediately bombarded him with questions. He did his best to answer them.

* * *

Paunch sat in the trailer of a semi-truck, cringing at every bump. Now that the battle was over he could feel all the little injuries he had received, and the pain in his leg was back at full force. _"Damn that kid! How could he do that much damage to me?! The doc said I was invincible, now!"_ He sat there and fumed, bracing himself as the truck turned. _"I'll get him back for this! Once the doc fixes me up, I'm huntin' him down!"_ He cringed in pain at a particularly bad bump. _"I could really use a drink!"_

The truck slowed to a stop, brakes squealing. _"At least I got what doc wanted. I bet he'll make me even stronger as a reward,"_ he thought, patting the duffel bag at his side. A ringing sound came from within the bag. He pulled out a small communication device and pressed a button on its side.

"Is that you, doc? I'm already on my way."

 _"Good. And you've secured the cargo, correct?"_ a voice came out of the device.

"Yep! Got it right here."

 _"I trust there were no complications?"_

Paunch paused, "Well… I did have a bit of a run-in. I… lost all my guys."

 _"I see. You took care of the witnesses?"_

Paunch choked audibly. "Uh, well, I-"

The trailer doors opened, revealing a nondescript man in a blue jumpsuit. He wore a hat and his face was covered by a bandana.

 _"Hand him the bag."_

Paunch passed it to him, meekly. The man examined the contents, then nodded. Deftly raising a silver remote, he pointed it at Paunch.

 _"You've become a liability. Goodbye."_

*Click*

Paunch fell over, lifeless. The com device clattered uselessly against the trailer floor.

* * *

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed!


	6. Chapter 5: Making Amends

Chapter 5: Making amends

* * *

A young girl stared at the screen in confusion. _"I thought this was the news channel. Why are they showing a movie?"_ she wondered. What started out as normal news broadcast had turned into some kind of superhero movie. A young boy that could fly and shoot balls of light fighting a really fat guy. Then the fat guy shot a huge beam of light and the boy deflected it up into the sky. It was really cool, but she was still confused.

She looked over at her dad. He snored in his recliner, the same way he did at this time every day. He was a burly man with tan skin and a floofy afro. His face was clean-shaven, except for his sideburns and handle-bar mustache. The remote hung loosely in his hand. _"He's not awake, so he didn't change the channel…"_

She climbed on the couch, leaning over the side to tap on his shoulder. "Daddy! Daddy, wake up!"

He groaned, waving her hand away lazily. She growled in frustration then cupped her hands around her mouth. "DAAA-DDDYYY!" she yelled. He started; eyes shooting open.

"What? What's wrong?" He looked around blearily, then spotted his daughter. She wore a t-shirt and shorts. Her hair was up in two little pig-tails, cute as a button. "Oh, Videl! Is it time for dinner? Where's your mother?"

Videl frowned peevishly, then pointed at the TV. "Something weird is happening!" she declared.

Hercule looked at the TV curiously. A boy in orange lay amongst the rubble of what used to be a road. He picked up a sword and stuck it in the ground, leaning against it as he stood. _"Huh, must've changed the channel by accident while I was asleep,"_ he thought. Absently, he clicked the remote, changing to a different news station. However, this one seemed to be showing the same thing. _"Weird."_ He tried a third. It was the same.

He scratched his chin in confusion, continuing to watch. Videl sat down and watched with him. Now, the camera was focused on the boy and a policewoman, recording their conversation.

 **"Alright! Now, I have to know; what was that light?" the policewoman asked.**

 **Gohan tilted his head to the side. "That's a type of energy called ki. You can use it for all sorts of things!" He went on to explain how to control it, the kind of training needed to increase the ki your body generates, how to make yourself tougher, and the mechanics of flying. Macey had pulled a notepad from somewhere and was jotting everything down as he spoke.**

Hercule stared at the TV, nonplussed. Videl had her hands cupped in front of her, trying to make a ball of light and failing. She huffed loudly in disappointment. "Daddy, it didn't work! What did I do wrong?" she asked.

"You didn't do anything wrong, sweetpea. It's all just a scam! There's no way people could fly or throw light like that. This is all just a big hoax," he declared, waving a hand dismissively.

Videl gaped at him, then frowned. "Oh. But it looks so real!"

Hercule shook his head in exasperation, "It's just special effects. They got these computers that make things look like real life!"

"That's too bad. I wanna learn to fly."

Hercule pat her back consolingly.

* * *

Bulma groaned, laying her head on the table. "I can't believe he just told the entire world about super-powers. Did nobody think to warn him about that? He's just a kid! Of course he doesn't know any better. Ahh, who knows what will happen now?!"

Panchi rubbed her back soothingly, humming a cheerful tune. "You worry too much, sweetie. I'm sure everything will turn out just fine!"

"How can you say that, mom!" Bulma retorted. "We'll probably have trouble-makers coming out of the woodworks, now!"

Dr. Brief grunted. "Considering what we just watched, I'd say they're already here!" He folded up his paper, setting it on the table, "Who knows? This might be for the best. It'll give the people a chance at protecting themselves once those Saiyan fellows get here."

Bulma seemed mollified. "I suppose it could… Well, 'what if' doesn't really matter anymore, does it? What's done is done." She stood abruptly, "I need to go call Chichi. She'll want to know about this."

"Oh, alright, sweetie. Tell her 'Hello' for me! And maybe she'd like to come visit? We could swap recipes!" Panchi said.

"Alright, mom. I'll ask," Bulma said as she left the room.

* * *

Gohan dropped in on the Lookout. Yamcha was relaxing on the side of a planter, tossing an apple up and down. He sat up, noticing how roughed up Gohan looked.

"Hey, kid. What happened to _you_?"

Gohan chuckled, rubbing his neck, "It's kind of a long story… More importantly, do you know where I can get a senzu bean?"

Yamcha's eyes widened in alarm, "Are you that hurt?! Hold on, let's go find Kami!"

"Wait! It's… it's not for me," Gohan admitted. He explained about going to the city and fighting Paunch and about the policeman that was injured. "I need the senzu bean to heal that man's legs."

"I don't know, kid. We don't have so many of those beans that we can use them whenever we want…" Yamcha said apprehensively. He felt bad for the guy but it couldn't be helped. Senzu beans were just too valuable.

"He's right," Kami said, approaching from the building.

Gohan's eyes flicked to the green man in surprise. _"Now that I think of it, I can't sense Kami, either. Why is that?"_

"Our supply of senzu beans is very limited. We will need all of them in the fight against the Saiyans," Kami said.

Gohan lowered his head sadly, "But… it's my fault he was hurt."

Kami sighed, "Be that as it may, we simply can't afford to do anything about it. You must accept that some things are beyond your control."

Gohan sniffed, "But… I just feel so bad. Maybe I shouldn't have gone." He rubbed at his eyes. "Maybe that way no one would have got hurt."

Yamcha kneeled and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Listen, kid. Sometimes bad things happen and there's just nothing we can do about it. Beating yourself up about it isn't going to help. Just, uh…" He tapped a knuckle against Gohan's chin. "Put your chin up and keep going, alright?"

Kami smiled approvingly. Gohan's lip wobbled and he sniffed again. "I- I guess you're right…"

Yamcha grinned suddenly, "Hey, how about we play a game? Maybe hide and seek?"

Gohan's face brightened a bit, "Yeah! That sounds like fun."

"We can ask Krillin and Chiaotzu to play, too," Yamcha added.

Gohan tilted his head, "Not Tien?"

"Ehehe… I don't think Tien would be up for it…"

Gohan pictured Tien's stern face and giggled, "Yeah, maybe not!"

* * *

Once their game was over, the Z-fighters began training. Gohan would only stay for one more day before going back to Piccolo so he made sure to observe the others' fighting styles closely. It would help him when fighting with them in the future and might provide insight into improving his own fighting style.

It was during a spar with Krillin that an appalling tidbit came to light. "W- what do you mean you don't know the Kamehameha?!" Krillin shouted.

Yamcha was distracted from his fight with Tien and took a heavy punch to the face. He was knocked onto his back but quickly flipped himself upright. "Yeah, kid! That's, like, your dad's signature move!" He said, ignoring his throbbing cheek.

Gohan scratched his head, "Well… dad said he would teach me once I got a better handle on my energy… then he, well…"

Krillin and Yamcha went pale. "Oh… yeah. I guess that would explain it," Krillin conceded, head lowered. He raised it suddenly, smiling wide, "I know! How about I teach you?"

Yamcha put a hand on Krillin's shoulder, pushing him gently aside. "Nah, this kind of thing should be left to the pros. _I'll_ teach him!" he declared.

"Oh, so _you're_ a pro, but I'm not, huh?" Krillin asked irritably.

Yamcha nodded sagely, "It's good that you understand your own shortcomings. Hah! _Short_ comings! Get it?" He looked around at his companions, waiting for laughs that would never come.

Tien crossed his arms haughtily, "Not as though he even needs a teacher. That technique is easy to learn after seeing it performed once."

"Wha- Master Roshi spent fifty years perfecting that technique. It's not so simple that you can learn it first try!" Krillin said.

Tien arched a brow, "Really? I learned it first try. I believe Goku did as well." Krillin and Yamcha were rendered speechless.

Chiaotzu, watching from the sidelines, approached Gohan and pulled on his sleeve. "Why don't you give it a try?" he suggested.

"Uh…" Gohan scratched his cheek. "Alright, I guess." He closed his eyes and pictured his father performing the technique. He had only seen it a few times, but the form and the chant were rather distinctive. Eyes still closed, he lowered his stance, cupping his hands next to his waist. His brow furrowed, _"I guess I just need to focus my energy at a point between my hands, right? ...Then the chant."_ He nodded decisively, feeling confident in his deductions.

"Kaaa…" He pushed energy into his arms, gathering it into his hands.

"Meee…" Energy radiated from his hands, accumulating into a blue pinprick of light.

"Haaa…" The point of light grew larger as he poured in more ki. Slowly, it took the shape of a sphere.

"Meee…" It filled the space between his hands, shining brightly; illuminating the area with a blue glow.

His eyes snapped open and he thrust his arms forward. "HAAA!" he yelled. A thin beam of blue energy sped past the edge of the lookout, careening into the distance. The light faded, Gohan maintaining the stance. He blinked a few times, then grinned. "That was fun!" he exclaimed.

Yamcha gaped. Tien smirked triumphantly. Chiaotzu clapped enthusiastically. Krillin chuckled, "You really are Goku's son!"

Gohan rubbed the back of his head, much the same way Goku always did. "You think so?" he asked bashfully.

Krillin pulled him into a one-armed hug, "Definitely!" Gohan giggled happily.

* * *

Gohan lay in his comfy bed, staring up at the dark ceiling. Tomorrow, he would be going back to training with Piccolo. He was going to miss Krillin and the others. He had the feeling that Piccolo would start intensive training as soon as he returned, and that would leave him with little to no free time. Gohan understood the necessity, time was ticking by inexorably, but he wasn't looking forward to it as much as he thought he ought to.

Once again, his thoughts turned to the day's earlier events. Fighting Paunch, meeting the Police Officers, the man that had been injured due to his mistake. He grimaced and clutched his stomach at the thought of the poor man. _"I wish I could do something! I'm not sure he'll ever be able to walk again. At least, not with current medical technology…"_ He sighed heavily. _"If only I had a senzu bean. Dad said they can heal anything!"_

Kami had explained where the senzu beans came from and the difficulty in growing them. Gohan was shocked to learn that there was a talking cat living below the lookout. Apparently, a man named Yajirobe lived there too. He was originally supposed to be training with them, but he refused.

Gohan tossed and turned, too upset to get any sleep. He got up, pushing the blanket off him and went over to the window. It was a cloudless night, the full moon shining brightly. He leaned against the window sill, staring up at it pensively. Sometimes, when the moon was full, he felt restless; as if it were calling to him. Not that that made any sense. Nothing ever happened when he looked at it anyway.

He leaned out the window suddenly, wondering if he could see Korin's tower from here. _"Hmm… nope. I guess it's too far."_ He was struck by the sudden desire to see it. He shrugged and hopped out the window, floating downward slowly.

Slowly, it came into view; a single white line rising to support a circular room, much smaller than the Lookout. He stopped, taking a moment to appreciate exactly how tall it was. _"How does that thin pole support its own weight. Some kind of magic?"_ He looked up at the floating Lookout. _"Yeah, probably."_

He turned to leave but paused, looking back at the tower. _"That's where the senzu beans are…"_ he thought. He shook his head, making to leave once more... but he didn't move. _"Come on! Just go back up and get some sleep,"_ he told himself. Even so, he stayed, looking at the tower speculatively. Against his better judgement, he entered the building, landing on light feet.

He searched around, looking through pots and jars, cupboards and drawers; searching for some of the mystical beans.

"Heh-hem!" A gravelly voice sounded behind him. Gohan jumped and turned around, instinctively taking a fighting stance. He squinted, unable to see in the darkness. A white form stepped into a shaft of moonlight.

Gohan's eyes widened and he lowered his arms. "You're… Korin, right?" he asked the bipedal cat.

Korin nodded, "And you're Gohan. Now, what brings you to my humble abode at this hour?"

Gohan stiffened, eyes flitting around for an excuse. "Uh… I, uh… I was curious. I… couldn't sleep, so…" He chewed on his nails nervously.

"Hmmm… I see. Well, now that your curiosity has been sated, why don't you go on back to bed?"

 _"Because I need a senzu bean!"_ he thought. He frowned thoughtfully, _"Maybe I should ask… It couldn't hurt, right? And Korin's the one that actually grows them; maybe he doesn't have to listen to Kami?"_

"A- actually, that was a lie. I wanted to ask you something."

Korin scratched his chin curiously, "Go ahead."

"M- may I please have a senzu bean?"

"Hmm. And... what would you use it for?"

Gohan gulped. "I… because of my actions, a man was hurt really badly. Without a senzu bean, I don't think he'll ever fully recover. I- I _have_ to help him! Please! I'll do anything in exchange for one!" he shouted, hands clasped in supplication.

Korin contemplated silently a while. Finally, "I don't mind giving you one." Gohan nearly shouted in joy. "However." Gohan's smile faded. "It's tradition that whenever someone seeks something of me, they must first pass a test. Though, I'm sure you won't find it to be very difficult."

Gohan nodded resolutely, "I understand. I'll take your test."

Korin smiled benignly, "All you have to do… is catch me."

Gohan blinked. "Oh, okay." _"That doesn't seem too hard."_ He crouched, ready to pounce. Korin smirked. Gohan jumped, wrapping his arms around white… air? He fell to the ground, "Oof!" He lifted his head, frowning at the cat. Korin simply stood there, serene; as if he were mocking the boy.

Gohan hopped up and leapt at Korin again and again. Korin seemed to have this uncanny ability to not be where Gohan thought he was. Gohan face-planted once more. He stood and growled under his breath. _"Guess I'll just have to kick it up a notch!"_ He stood on the balls of his feet, winding himself up like a spring. He vanished and they both began flashing around the room, Korin always one step ahead of Gohan.

Gohan made one last leap and Korin vanished again, causing him to smack his head against a pillar. "Ow owowow!" he writhed in pain on the floor, clutching his head. He lay on his back as the pain cleared, _"I don't get it. What am I doing wrong?"_

Korin watched approvingly, _"That's it, boy. Think about it. This test is just as much mental, as physical."_

Gohan stood, a calculative glint in his eyes. _"It's like he can predict my movements. Can he see into the future?"_ he wondered. He pondered it for a while then smirked, an idea forming. He rushed forward, arms held ready to catch the cat. Looking closely, he saw Korin lean slightly to the left. _"Got ya!"_ Stopping on a dime, he lunged to the left just as Korin vanished. His arms stretched out and he could swear he felt his fingers brush fur. Unfortunately, he missed, tumbling out of the room and into the air.

He yelped fearfully, then remembered he could fly. Returning to the room, he took another moment to think. _"I was pretty close that time. He moved left, just like I thought. So, he's not reading the future or he'd have known I would change direction! Maybe he's just observing my movements the same way I just did?"_ He nodded decisively. _"That has to be it. Then, in order to catch him, I just have to mask my intentions while reading his. But how?"_

Gohan tried changing the way his feet pointed and looking in a different direction than he was moving to mislead Korin. Each attempt came closer and closer. However, something still seemed to be missing. _"I think he can see through my misdirection!"_ Gohan thought. _"I have to be more unpredictable. Move in a way he won't expect."_ He rubbed a hand over his mouth pensively. "I've got it!" he shouted.

Korin quirked a brow, "Have you now? I certainly hope so, it's almost sunrise."

Gohan gasped, looking to the horizon. A faint tinge of silvery light was just making its way over. _"If I don't hurry, the others will notice I'm gone!"_ He calmed himself with deep breaths, eyes hardened in determination. He pointed at Korin suddenly, "This'll be my last attempt. You won't get away from me this time!"

Korin chuckled. "We'll see."

Gohan charged once more, and Korin easily hopped out of the way. _"Increasing your speed? Is that all you could think of?"_ Korin thought. He watched Gohan continue running… and vanish! _"Afterimage? Then where is-"_ Arms wrapped around him, pinning him in place.

"Hihihi, got ya!" Gohan chuckled happily. He let Korin go. "Man, that was really tough!"

Korin stood and cleared his throat, "Ehemm. Well done. I suppose you've earned yourself a senzu bean. But… I have to ask… how did you catch me?"

Gohan scratched his head, grinning sheepishly. "I sent that afterimage to distract you, then jumped up to the ceiling. Once I determined where you would go, I pounced." He spread his arms out, hands mimicking claws.

Korin laughed, "Very clever. Wait just a moment, I'll go get the senzu." He went to a lower level, retrieving the bag containing all the fully grown senzu beans. _"I suppose I'll just have to grow a new one faster. We've still got over half a year before the Saiyans get here. As long as I use some of the Divine Water, it should be fine."_

He returned and handed Gohan the bean. Gohan cradled it gently in his palm, then slowly closed his fingers around it. He looked at Korin gratefully, "Thank you so much. I don't know how I can ever repay you." He sniffed, wiping a tear from his eye. _"Just wait, mister. We'll have you back on your feet by the end of the day!"_ he thought.

* * *

Gohan said his goodbyes to all his new friends and left the Lookout. Luckily, no one had noticed his absence during the night or the fact that he was a bit tired. He jetted off to Orange Star City, senzu bean safely tucked away in a hidden pocket.

He came to a stop over the city, brow furrowed in thought. _"Where is the hospital, anyway?"_ After a while of flying around and having no luck, he decided to simply ask someone. He dropped to the ground, causing people on the sidewalk to jump back from him.

"H-hey! You're the kid from the news, right?"

"You can really fly?!"

"What the-?!"

"Is that a real sword?"

Chatter abounded from the surrounding pedestrians. Gohan rubbed the back of his head, feeling lost. "Um, excuse me?" he said, though everyone seemed much more interested in talking than listening.

"Hey, hey! Do the flying thing!" Someone demanded.

"No, show us that light thing you can do!" Someone else said. A third person waved his arms in the air around Gohan, searching for hidden wires or something. Gohan was starting to feel claustrophobic.

"Please, could someone just tell me where the hospital is?" he asked helplessly. The crowd grew closer, their curiosity overwhelming. _"There're so many people! What do they want? I just want to get to the hospital!"_ he thought. Suddenly, a hand slapped down on his shoulder and he panicked. A blast of ki wind knocked the crowd away.

"Whoa!"

"That was amazing!"

"What the hell was that?"

Rather than scared, they seemed even more excited. Gohan sighed, then fixed his gaze on one of them; a balding man in a suit. "You!" He pointed at the man. "Which way is the hospital?"

The man gaped like a fish, then pointed to the left, "That way."

Gohan smiled and bowed. "Thank you!" He turned to address the others. "I'm sorry for knocking you all over." Then he took off.

* * *

The hospital was a thoroughly strange place. Multiple floors, with hallway after hallway, room after room, full of sick people. Every room he passed made him queasy with the thought that someone sick or injured might be beyond the door. The senzu in his pocket felt like an anvil; so many people might need it desperately. It felt awful knowing he had only one to give.

He noticed people lining up at a desk and decided to follow suit, not noticing the strange looks he was getting. Eventually he made it to the front.

"How can I help you, young man?" the lady behind the desk said. Gohan rubbed his hands together. "Uh… yesterday there was a police officer that got injured. I'm looking for him."

"Relation?"

"Huh? What relation?" Gohan asked, perplexed.

The lady sighed. "What's your relation to him? We don't let random people in to see injured officers."

"Uh… well…"

"Gohan!" a gruff voice called.

Gohan turned towards it. "Oh, Mr. Officer!" he exclaimed happily. He ran up to him, "How've you been? Did you have any luck finding Paunch?"

Bale adjusted his hat. "I've been fine and no; we haven't found him. More importantly, what are you doing here?"

Gohan smiled sadly. "I came to visit…" He frowned. "I don't actually know his name. The officer that was injured."

"That's very kind of you. Holster is his name, Officer Luther Holster. Unfortunately, you can't see him right now. He's about to go in for an operation, so it's family only."

"Oh, I see. Well, I- I don't really need to see him." Gohan began rummaging through his pocket. "I have something that could help. If you could just make sure he eats it." He pulled out a little green bean, handing it to Bale proudly. "Then he'll get better."

Bale stared at the bean. He looked at Gohan, then back at the bean. "A bean?"

Gohan grinned, "Yep!"

Bale looked at it closely, scrutinizing. It looked like a regular bean. "Anndd… What exactly will it do?"

Gohan tilted his head. "It'll make him better! Like… healing his legs and giving him lots of energy," he explained.

"That's impo-" Bale stopped. He was talking to a kid that could fly, shoot beams of energy, and shatter solid concrete. _"Does the word 'impossible' even mean anything, anymore?"_

"W- will this really work?"

Gohan nodded decisively. "I promise it will. Just make sure he eats it!"

Bale grasped the bean tightly. "Alright," he said.

Gohan smiled, satisfied. He knew he could trust Bale. Pretty soon, Mr. Holster would be back up as if nothing had happened. He felt so light now, he couldn't stop beaming. He waved bye to a bemused Bale and skipped away.

* * *

A/N: We finally get to see Videl! Gohan manages to wheedle a senzu _and_ a lesson from Korin; how did you guys enjoy that scene? Gohan shows off his talent by getting the Kamehameha first try. Do you think he's in the same league (talent-wise) as Goku?

I probably should have asked this earlier, but what do you think of my Police OC's? Did you like their names? (I need to stop giving them names. It's getting harder and harder to think of good police-themed names.)

Thanks for reading! :)


	7. Chapter 6: Meet Videl

Chapter 6: Meet Videl

A/N: For the following attack names, I'll be using the Japanese name rather than the names from the dub. This is purely because I think they sound better.

Tri-beam Cannon = Kikoho

Destructo Disk = Ki Enzan

Dodon Ray = Dodonpa

* * *

Korin stretched and yawned, getting up from his cat-nap. "I guess I should get to work on growing that extra bean," he mumbled. He went to the cupboard and fished out a jar with the characters for 'Divine Water' painted on it in calligraphy. He whistled a happy tune as he sauntered down to the lowest level.

In the center of the lowest floor, a pristine white basin stood, containing glowing blue liquid. Korin dipped the jar in and let it fill up. "That's about enough." This liquid happened to be the perfect source of nutrients for senzu beans, allowing them to grow much faster than they would naturally. It was also the main ingredient for the deadly 'Ultra Divine Water'.

It was actually significantly _more_ poisonous, with absolutely no hope of survival. When diluted and combined with certain secret ingredients, it became 'Ultra Divine Water'. Still poisonous, but there was a chance you might live and it had the side effect of bringing out hidden potential.

He pulled a cork out of thin air and sealed the jar, turning to leave. However, he stopped, noticing something strange out of the corner of his eye. "I-It didn't…" His eyes widened comically. "IT DIDN'T FILL UP!"

The basin went all the way down the tower and deep into the earth, connecting it to the source of all Divine Water. If it wasn't filling up…

"Oh, dear!" He chewed on a claw. "Oh dear, oh no, oh my, oh dear!" He set the jug down carefully and ran upstairs. "I have to tell Kami about this!"

* * *

"So… _how_ did you sprain your ankle again?" Videl asked. She and her father sat in a doctor's office, waiting for him to return with the test results.

Hercule coughed nervously. "Ah… well… when you get to _my_ level, it's very easy to injure yourself while training. I simply…" he cleared his throat, "underestimated my own strength."

Videl gaped at him. "Woah! I never knew you were _that_ strong, daddy!" she exclaimed.

Hercule laughed boisterously, wiping sweat from his brow, "Well! Now you know my secret. Promise not to tell anybody, okay? I wouldn't want my opponents using it against me!"

"I won't tell anyone! I promise!" She mimicked zipping her lips shut.

Hercule laughed again. "That's my girl!"

The doctor came in and started talking to Hercule. Videl, getting bored, tugged on his sleeve and asked for vending machine money. Hercule absently pulled some coins out of his pocket and gave them to her.

* * *

Bale jogged up the steps, hurrying to Luther's room. Every couple of seconds he would check his hand to make sure the bean was still there. He slid open the door, noticing Luther on the bed. He was drawn and pale, though at least he was awake. His wife sat to his side, their 3 year old daughter in her lap. A doctor stood at the foot of the bed, looking at a chart and speaking quietly.

"...cannot repair the damage to your right leg. It will have to come off."

Mrs. Holster choked back a sob, tears rolling down her face. Luther looked resigned. The doctor turned to look at Bale. "Excuse me, officer, but I'm afraid it's family visitation only at the moment. You're free to visit after the surgery…"

Bale raised a hand to cut him off. "Just a few minutes. Please." The doctor seemed uncertain, but nodded and left.

Bale approached the bed, tipping his hat to Mrs. Holster. She nodded back, sniffling quietly. He addressed the injured man, "Luther."

"Bale," Luther replied quietly.

"I have something for you." He opened his hand, revealing the bean. "It's from the kid that saved you."

Luther snorted. "A bean? Well… I suppose it's the thought that counts." He picked it up. "What do I do with it?"

"Look. I- I'm not sure the kid knows what he's talking about but… he said… if you eat it, you'll be healed."

Luther turned wide eyes on him, then smiled. "Well, if that's the case, how can I refuse?" He popped it into his mouth. There was a quick cracking sound as bones set themselves. The bags under his eyes faded and his color returned. He sat up suddenly, staring in astonishment at his legs. The legs that didn't hurt even slightly.

Mrs. Holster gasped as he threw off the blanket and stood. He bounced on his toes a few times, waiting for the pain to come. Nothing. He looked back at Bale, tears welling in his eyes. "I can walk…"

Bale was just as astonished. Life definitely wasn't normal anymore. But maybe… that wasn't a bad thing.

* * *

Korin and Kami traveled quickly through the system of caves. It was the only entrance to the deep cavern that housed the Sacred Pool, the source of all Divine Water. Here and there you could see broken stalagmites and furrows carved into the rocky ground. Evidence of machinery passing through.

 _"This does not bode well,"_ Kami thought.

Finally, they came upon a large, open cavern. Normally, it would be lit with a bright blue glow. It was dark. Kami lit up a ball of ki, sending it to the roof to provide illumination. In the center of the floor was a depression. A thick pillar pierced through the ceiling, ending in the middle of the depression. A small puddle of blue liquid gathered near the base of the pillar, barely enough to fill a cup. Water dripped from the ceiling, slowly filtering into the puddle.

If he hadn't been expecting it, he might have had a heart attack. _"The Sacred Pool has been emptied!"_ It was an appalling thought, but evidence could not be ignored. He moved closer, noticing the floor of the empty pool was of a different material than the rest of the cave, consisting of milky white crystal. He cast his senses out, probing the material carefully, and sighed in relief.

Korin looked at him curiously. "You're not as upset as I thought you would be. Without more Divine Water, it'll take ten years to grow a new senzu bean from scratch."

Kami smiled gently. "I am simply glad that not all hope is lost." He turned to Korin. "Have I ever told you the origin of the Sacred Pool?"

Korin shook his head.

Kami rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "I am not the first Guardian of the Earth, as I am sure you are aware. In truth, there have been many. The tale of the Sacred Pool begins where the tale of the First Guardian ends. The records say he was a being of immense power and that he chose this cave as his final resting place. Your tower and the lookout were later built over it as a sign of respect."

Korin listened with rapt attention. The mists of ancient history seemed to part before him.

Kami cleared his throat. "The crystal at the bottom of the pool is his tomb. Over centuries and eons, the First Guardian's body continued to attract energy in spite of his death. This energy accumulated in the water above his tomb, giving it wondrous properties. _That_ is the origin of Divine Water. Seeing that the tomb is still intact, we can simply fill the pool with new water and wait for it to begin accumulating energy."

"How long will it take for the water to become Divine?" Korin asked.

"I cannot say. Though, I would imagine decades, at least." Kami took a deep breath. "Come. Let us return. The pool needs to be refilled and there is little else we can do here."

* * *

Gohan happily skipped to the hospital's exit. Until he realized he didn't know where it was. _"Where am I?"_ he thought. He walked around, absently looking for a door that led outside. There were plenty of windows he could go through but his mother taught him that it was impolite to climb through a window, so that idea was out. He conveniently forgot he had done exactly that earlier… As his feet wandered, his mind began to do the same.

 _"In the end, we never were able to defeat the Saiyans in the Pendulum Room, huh? We came close when Tien managed to hit one with a Kikoho… but it drained him of energy. Chiaotzu was determined to protect him and that just left Krillin, Yamcha, and I to deal with them. The uninjured one led us into a trap by throwing his companion's life away. We never expected that kind of tactic…"_

Even so, it was a good experience. It had opened their eyes to the possibility of ruthless enemies abandoning their allies for an advantage. He rounded a corner, still deep in thought, and bumped into someone, knocking them to the ground. Coins clattered on the floor, some of them rolling away.

"Oh, gosh! I'm so sorry!" Gohan exclaimed. He zipped around to pick them up and returned to offer them back to the girl. "Um, here you go. I'm sorry I bumped into you." She looked to be around his age, with black hair styled into pigtails.

She groaned and stood up, patting dust off her shorts. "What are you, made of bricks?" She reached out to retrieve her money and gasped. "You!" she exclaimed, pointing at him.

Gohan blinked. "Me?"

"Yeah, you! You're the fraud! The one that was on TV!"

"Wait, what? A fraud? On TV? I'm not sure what you're talking about…"

"Hmph! You can't fool me! You're wearing the same outfit and you've got that sword. Anyone would recognize you!" Videl exclaimed. Gohan looked down, thumbing his gi curiously.

He looked up. "Uh… what's TV?"

Videl gaped, then frowned. "Oh, I see! You're trying to fool me again! Everyone knows what TV is!" she said, crossing her arms imperiously.

"Everyone, huh?" Gohan scratched his head. _"Wow, maybe I should have studied more like mom wanted!"_ he thought.

Videl furrowed her brow. "Wait… do you really not know?! You were on TV yesterday!" She grabbed his arm, not waiting for an answer, and started dragging him along behind her.

"Hey, where are we going?" Gohan asked.

"To find a TV, obviously!"

Eventually, they found a lounge with a TV mounted high on the wall. Chairs were lined up on opposite walls of the room and a large couch sat in the middle. A few people sat around, reading magazines or staring at the TV.

Videl pointed at it. " _That's_ a TV."

"Oh! What's it do?" Gohan asked.

Videl fumbled for words, "Uh, well, it shows you stuff. Like… TV shows…" She growled, "Anyway! You were on TV and a bunch of people saw you pretending to fly around and stuff. Got it?"

"I think I see… but I wasn't pretending or anything. I was really flying."

Videl scoffed, "Oh, come on! My daddy told me that stuff was impossible. I even tried that energy thing you talked about and it didn't work! Explain that, bub!" she said, poking him in the chest.

Gohan hummed curiously. "Well, how long have you been training? Without a strong body, you can't unlock your energy."

Videl frowned. "Are you calling me weak? I'll have you know my daddy started training me last month and he's _super_ strong!"

Gohan scratched his cheek. "Uh, well… Oh, how about this." He widened his stance, holding a hand out. "Punch my hand as hard as you can. That'll give me an idea of how strong you are."

Videl smirked, "All right then. Don't blame me if I hurt you!" She flicked one of her pigtails to the side then lowered herself into the form her father had taught her. Pausing, she looked at her feet and adjusted their angle. Satisfied that she had it right, she launched forward, trying to remember how to utilize her weight to make the punch as strong as possible. "Hah!" Her fist smacked into Gohan's palm and stopped dead.

Her jaw dropped, _"What!? I was trying to knock him over!"_

Gohan pursed his lips, _"She was so confident, I thought she might be a bit strong… but I didn't even_ feel _that. No wonder she couldn't use her energy…"_

He rubbed his neck, smiling apologetically, "Unfortunately, you're not strong enough, yet. But I'm sure if you just keep training you'll get there eventually!"

Videl grit her teeth and looked away, face red. "I don't need your pity or anything. It's not like that energy stuff is real anyway. So there's nothing to get upset about!" That last bit seemed to be aimed at herself rather than Gohan.

Gohan raised a brow, "But it _is_ real. See?" He created a ball of energy over his palm, showing it to her. Videl gasped, staring at the floating ball of impossibleness. She reached out and touched it before Gohan could warn her.

"Ah!" she yelped, tearing her hand away.

Gohan paled, dispersing the energy. "Oh no! I'm so so sorry! I should've warned you!"

Some of the adults turned to look at the two but most assumed she had just pinched her fingers or something.

Videl bit her lip and shook her head. "I'm fine. It just stings a little." She glanced at her fingers, noticing the slight redness. She shrugged, _"It'll probably go away soon."_ Even if it didn't, she _was_ in the middle of a hospital, so it'd probably be fine.

Gohan's face scrunched up, _"I hurt someone again! Why does this keep happening?"_

Videl flicked him on the forehead. He flinched and stared at her. She frowned poutily, "Don't get so upset. It barely hurts. It was my fault anyway so you don't need to get so worked up."

Gohan shook his head, clutching at his shirt. "No. It's my responsibility to be careful with my power. You couldn't have known it would be so hot."

Videl crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks out. "Well, fine. If you feel that bad, then you can teach me how to do it. Then we can consider it even, okay?"

Gohan sighed. "It's not that easy. You have a lot of work to do before you're strong enough to wield your ki."

"Well, you can at least tell me what I'm supposed to do!"

Gohan flinched at her tone, then nodded. "Okay. First off, you have to do lots of exercise to toughen yourself up. Things like lifting heavy rocks or swimming as fast as you can until you're too tired to move. It helps if you wear weighted clothing or… I guess you could just put some rocks in a backpack and carry that around while you train."

He rubbed his chin, eyes on the ground. "It'll probably take you a few months to a year before you're ready to use your energy."

Videl's jaw dropped, "That long! You've gotta be kidding me!"

Gohan's eyes widened innocently and he shook his head. "No, that's about how long it takes. Unfortunately, I can't stick around to help you. I'm busy with my own training…"

Videl huffed indignantly. "Well, if _you_ can't teach me, who can? I wanna learn as quick as possible!"

Gohan's face screwed up in thought. He smiled suddenly, "You could ask Master Roshi to train you. He's the man that trained my dad."

He instructed her to go to Capsule Corporation and tell them he had sent her. Bulma could then take her to Master Roshi's place.

Videl grinned and bounced excitedly. "I can't wait to start. Will I really learn how to fly?!" she asked.

"I don't see why not… By the way, do you know where the exit is?"

"Hm? Oh, sure! Follow me!" They scampered off. At the hospital's entrance, they said their goodbyes.

Gohan grinned toothily, "Well, I guess this is it. Bye, uh… umm…"

"Videl."

He chuckled, "Goodbye, Videl. I'm Gohan, by the way!" He turned to leave.

"Wait!" Videl called, grabbing his hand. Gohan turned, quirking a brow. Her cheeks reddened slightly, "N- next time I see you, I'll be _way_ stronger." She grinned, pulling his arm up and putting her fist against his palm. "I'll punch you so hard, you won't know what hit you!"

Gohan tilted his head, "But… how would I not notice it was you? That doesn't really make any sense."

Videl frowned, "It's just a saying, dummy! Bye, Gohan." She ran off, leaving the confused boy alone.

Gohan shrugged, "Weird."

* * *

Piccolo cracked an eye open, feeling a familiar ki signature approach. A genuine smile crept up his face, only to be replaced by a scowl when he realized what he was doing. He closed his eyes and waited patiently.

"Mr. Piccolo!" Gohan called, coming to a stop in front of him. "It's good to see you!"

Piccolo grunted, unfolding his arms and legs. He lowered himself to a large plateau, motioning for Gohan to follow. Landing on the gray rock, he folded his arms, his gaze piercing through Gohan. "Show me what you've learned," he said, taking a fighting stance. Gohan nodded, taking his own stance.

Gohan ran forward then hopped, fist drawn back. He began a punch but his form blurred. A second Gohan appeared on the ground, aiming at Piccolo's stomach. Piccolo caught his fist as the afterimage in the air disappeared. Gohan shot a ki blast at Piccolo's legs but Piccolo hopped nimbly, avoiding it.

Still in the air, Piccolo swung Gohan around by his hand, launching him upwards. While Gohan was trying to get his bearings, Piccolo sent up a wave of orange ki. Gohan noticed the glow and unsheathed his sword, batting the attack away to explode in the distance. Piccolo appeared next to him and smashed him in the stomach, knocking him towards the ground.

Gohan righted himself, landing hard on the stone; cracks in the stone spread out from his feet. He quickly covered his sword in ki, a preventative measure in case Piccolo decided to target the blade again.

Moving the sword to one hand, he used the other to fire successive ki blasts at Piccolo. The green man dodged around them, slowly closing in. Gohan noticed Piccolo tense up and stopped firing, grabbing the sword with both hands. He spun, swinging the sword in a wide arc just as Piccolo vanished. Scraps of purple cloth flew as Piccolo barely avoided being cut in half; having appeared behind Gohan.

Piccolo smirked, _"He saw through my movements, huh? Impressive."_ He took some distance, crossing his arms in front of his chest. _"Let's see how you deal with multiple opponents!"_

* * *

Piccolo stood over a battered and unconscious Gohan. The corner of his mouth twitched into a smile, _"He's grown much stronger. It seems his little trip wasn't a complete waste of time."_ Absently, he raised his hand, restoring Gohan's tattered clothes to pristine condition.

Gohan stirred, eyes blinking open. He noticed Piccolo and smiled, nearly causing Piccolo to reciprocate. Piccolo growled at himself.

"So, how did I do?" Gohan asked. He pushed himself up, wincing slightly. He noticed his gi had been restored and beamed. "Thanks, Mr. Piccolo!"

Piccolo grunted, looking away. "You weren't awful. But you've still got a long way to go. We're going to get serious from now on, so expect to train from dawn to dusk!"

Gohan stood and wiped some dirt off his cheek. An eager grin crept up his face. "Yes, sir, Mr. Piccolo!"

Piccolo turned to leave but stopped after a few steps. He glanced back at Gohan then held a hand out to the ground. Shining light fashioned itself into a rectangle then dispersed, revealing a cozy bedroll.

Gohan's eyes brightened. "Is that for me?"

Piccolo grunted. "Tomorrow I'll begin teaching you how to meditate. You'll need to be well-rested."

Gohan ran forward and hugged one of Piccolo's legs. "Thanks so much, Mr. Piccolo!"

"Augh! Get off me, you little brat!"

Gohan let go, giggling and rubbing his head. Piccolo flared his cape as he walked away.

* * *

Videl threw swift punches under her father's watchful eye. Carefully bracing herself against the dojo's floor, she launched herself into a spinning kick. Her quick movements sent her hair splaying and sweat flying from her skin. She paused, taking a moment to catch her breath, face red as a cherry.

Hercule clapped awkwardly in his chair, trying to keep hold of his crutches. He would need to use them for a few days while his ankle healed. "Good work, Videl! Your form is great!" he said. The dojo was connected to their house. On weekdays it would be filled with students come to learn Martial Arts. Hercule wasn't a big name, yet, but many acknowledged his incredible strength.

Videl wiped some sweat from her face and grinned, holding up a peace sign at him. Her fingers had been wrapped up at the hospital. The burns had been a bit more serious than she thought and had started to blister, so she made up an excuse and showed a doctor. It didn't really hurt much, so she didn't make a big deal about it.

Hercule still didn't know about her encounter with Gohan, since she didn't think he'd believe her. But that was fine. Once they met that Master Roshi person, he could demonstrate, and her dad would _have_ to believe her.

She retrieved a towel from a rack on the wall, wiping her face down. _"Is mom going to be home, soon?"_ she wondered, taking a glance at the clock. It was five in the afternoon. Videl smiled, _"Just a bit longer!"_ Once her mother, Galen, was home, Videl could ask her about going to West City.

Of course, it would be easy to convince her dad. A cute little frown and puppy dog eyes and he would melt like butter. Unfortunately, with his sprained ankle, he couldn't drive. Her mother would be much more difficult. She'd want to know _why_ Videl wanted to go to Capsule Corporation and _who_ this 'Gohan' boy was and a whole bunch of other stuff.

Videl sighed, then shook herself, _"It doesn't matter how hard it is! I_ have _to meet this Master Roshi person! I really really want to learn to fly!"_ she thought. A blush made its way onto her cheeks as she imagined soaring through the air like a bird. _"That'd be_ so _fun!"_

"I'm home!" a voice called from further in the house. Videl quickly exited the dojo as Hercule struggled to get up. Videl dashed into the entranceway and hopped into her mother's arms.

"Welcome back, mommy!" Now she just had to convince her…

* * *

A/N: Okay, let's preemptively clear up some confusion.

 **Sacred Water** : Rumoured to grant any who drink it incredible strength. It's actually just tap water. The strength comes from climbing korin's tower and taking the water from him.

 **Ultra Divine Water** : Poisonous water that can bring out hidden potential. Few survive drinking it.

 **Divine Water** : Something I made up. It is the base component for 'Ultra Divine Water'. It can be used to speed up the growth of Senzu beans. It may have other, undisclosed, uses.

So, what do you think of Gohan and Videl's meeting? Personally, I thought it was pretty cute. I'm having a lot of fun writing Videl, to be honest :)

If you haven't guessed it, I'm limiting the amount of senzu beans throughout the story severely. I feel like those beans are way too powerful and have the potential to turn any fight around. It takes away the tension to know that the Z-fighters can fall back on senzu beans when things get really tough. I'm not getting rid of the Dragonballs, though. They're too integral to the story as a whole and they're not as convenient to abuse, so don't worry.

According to the wiki, Videl's mother's name is 'Miguel'. I didn't actually look this up until _after_ I had already thought up a name for her and, honestly, I prefer the one I came up with. So, yeah, in this fic her name is 'Galen'.

Thanks for reading! Also, thank you to everyone who has reviewed! I really appreciate it. Particularly, Storymaker3469 and NoFacedKhaleesi for reviewing _every_ chapter so far. Thanks, guys!


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